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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26581189">A Need So Great</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Downwiththeficness/pseuds/Downwiththeficness'>Downwiththeficness</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Narcos (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 12:14:02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>96,166</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26581189</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Downwiththeficness/pseuds/Downwiththeficness</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Eva Moore is assigned to work the last year of her contract with the DEA in Colombia. She just wants to get to the end of her tenure, but she keeps getting drawn further into a string of murders in the city. It isn’t long before she’s forced to face the ghosts of her past.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Horacio Carrillo/Original Female Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>42</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>A/N: For the purposes of this story, Carrillo isn’t married--or, if you like, divorced. A/B/O dynamics are prevalent, and they come with their own warning. The overall rating for this story is Explicit, although not every chapter will contain adult themes.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The first time Eva became acquainted with Horacio Carrillo, she didn’t actually meet him. She’d been walked up to an open format office at the embassy and introduced to a pair of agents—Steve and Javier. It was explained to the group that Eva was a consultant, not an agent, and that she’d be going over the department paperwork and offering ideas on investigations. No field work. Officially, she wasn’t there. Standard procedure for her first few days.</p><p>Eva had accepted that she wasn’t going to be trusted, she never was. Agents didn’t like outsiders coming in and looking at their work with any real scrutiny. When the agent who’d walked her up left, she turned to the two men and smiled her most congenial smile. She hoped that she could smooth this over so that she could get to work.</p><p>“Listen, I know what you’re thinking.” Loose posture, placid expression, pose no threat.</p><p>The one named Javier smirked, arms crossing his arms and leaning against a desk piled high with scattered documents, “You know what we’re thinking?”</p><p>“Yeah,” Eva replied, “You’re thinking, ‘we’ll see how long this bitch lasts’, probably followed by ‘I’m not working with her’. Maybe with a splash of spite or plans to fuck around with me. You may even be thinking ‘what the hell are they doing putting an omega in the mix’? That about accurate?”</p><p>Two pairs of eyes looked anywhere but her face. She’d nailed it.</p><p>Eva gave a curt nod, “I don’t want to be here any more than you want me to be here. What I do want is to do my job and get back to the states as soon as possible.”</p><p>Steve’s mouth curved into a smile that wasn’t quite friendly, “What <em>is</em><span> your job? </span><span>You’re not just here to look at our files.</span><span>”</span></p><p>“You’re half right. I’m here to offer insight,” she answered, “I’ve got a fairly unique background that might be beneficial to getting the criminals you are hunting behind bars.” That was an understatement, but she rolled with it.</p><p>“What kind of background is that?” Steve asked, eyes narrow.</p><p>She shrugged, “Long story—a long story for another day. I’ve got to get some paperwork finished and read through some records so that I can get up to speed. You want to point me to my desk?”</p><p>He jerked his head to the side, indicating a desk in the corner on the far side of the room. Eva craned her neck to look. It was...a piece of shit. The legs looked like they were going to collapse right out from under it. The wooden top was scratched and the paint was coming off in huge chunks. Clenching her jaw, Eva gave a quick nod of acceptance to Steve and headed over, setting her purse on it. She opened a few of the drawers, noting that they were empty.</p><p>A little squeak sounded to her left. Javier had brought her a chair. She gave him a grateful smile and slid it into place, sitting with a sigh. As she reached into her bag for the files she’d been given, Eva flinched.</p><p>
  <span>From somewhere near her, there was a scent. </span>
  <span>It filtered upwards from beneath her in slow, honeyed waves </span>
  <span>that sat on her tongue in the sweetest way</span>
  <span>. Eva reflexively gripped the wooden slab of the desk top. Her eyes closed to half mast, her heart pumping blood to her body in staccato jets. Warmth billowed out from her belly, rising to her neck and cheeks, the feeling so hot that Eva was surprised steam hadn’t erupted from her pores. She swallowed, scanning the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>W</span>
  <span>ho, on God’s green fucking earth, could smell like that? Like—like sweet tobacco and vetiver. She rolled it around on her tongue, searching for the source. There were only a few men in the room, the scent could only be a man, and even fewer alphas—</span>
  <span>it was </span>
  <em>all</em>
  <span> alpha</span>
  <span>. She glanced at each in turn, dismissing them almost immediately, until there were none. Her hands clenched to fists, frustrated. </span>
  <em>Fuck</em>
  <span>, where…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eva shifted in the cushioned seat, and a fresh wave of scent rose up. She looked down, </span>
  <span>her breath coming in short, uneven bursts. It was in the chair. That ungodly fucking scent was </span>
  <em>in the chair.</em>
  <span> He’</span>
  <span>d s</span>
  <em>at </em>
  <span>in it.</span>
  <span> With a shaking hand, Eva leaned over and shoved her fingers into the cracked leather of the seat, rubbing them a few times. Then, carefully and as discretely as she could, she tucked her fingertips into her palm and rested them on her cheek.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was with that first inhale that Eva knew she was truly fucked. The omega hormones </span>
  <span>that she didn’t actually think she had kicked into overdrive and overwhelmed her</span>
  <span>. Nothing—</span>
  <em>nothing—</em>
  <span>had ever smelled so good to her. And, she doubted nothing ever would. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her body responded to it in the only way it knew how, flooding with want </span>
  <span>that left her squeezing her thighs together. </span>
  <span>Liquid heat bubbled up and settled low, </span>
  <span>a weight Eva welcomed with relish</span>
  <span>.</span>
  <span> She bit her lip and laid her hand down on the desk. With concentrated effort, pulled out the files and set them in front of her. </span>
  <span>She wouldn’t be able to concentrate, but she had to try.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>T</span>
  <span>hat night, Eva went out and bought a low level pack of suppressants to help control the rise and fall of the hormones. As she walked home, she popped one in her mouth and swallowed it dry. The pill did little to stem off the waves of arousal that kept coming—th</span>
  <span>at</span>
  <span> kept her coming—well into the night.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The second time she </span>
  <em>didn’t really</em>
  <span> mee</span>
  <span>t </span>
  <span>him, Eva had a head start. She recognized the scent </span>
  <span>as soon as</span>
  <span> she stepped through the door. </span>
  <span>Her feet froze mid step, eyes scanning the area around her while her brain began to panic.</span>
  <span> Quickly, she spun around and went the other way, hustling down the hall to the staff bathroom. Inside, she l</span>
  <span>ean</span>
  <span>ed against the sink and took deep, calming breaths. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>While she hadn’t seen him, he was there, somewhere in that room. The scent that had haunted her for weeks, the faceless man who had made her wonder if she wasn’t, in fact, broken </span>
  <span>beyond all repair</span>
  <span>. Eva could know what he looked like, </span>
  <span>she could have the full depth of his scent wrapped around her after weeks of living off the remnant left on her chair that had long since faded. </span>
</p><p>In the mirror, Eva gave herself a little pep talk. She was an adult. Yes, she was an omega, but she was not ruled by her hormones. The suppressants were helping her manage the new feelings in her body and they were relatively in control. She could walk into that room and sit at her desk, get a good look at him from a distance as incon-fucking-spicuously as possible. This was a thing that she could do.</p><p>With one more relaxing breath, Eva pushed from the sink and ran her hands over her pencil skirt, adjusting her blouse and hair. She could do this.</p><p>
  <span>Telling herself that she could do it and actually doing it were two completely different things. Eva kept her eyes down as she entered the office space, heading straight for her desk and sitting down. It helped that she was holding her breath, but even that couldn’t last very long. The full exhale and </span>
  <span>the</span>
  <span> following inhale were torture. Exquisite torture. Eva busied herself with files that she’d long since memorized, forcing herself to read them over again, a pencil </span>
  <span>hovering over an empty page of her notebook</span>
  <span>. </span>
  <span>Sweat beaded on the back of her neck, the room too hot.</span>
</p><p>It felt God-awful stupid, but she pulled her hair over one shoulder, turning a little away from the expanse of the room in an effort to...what? Hide? Everything in her said that she should make herself as small as possible, as unassuming as possible.</p><p>Although Eva doubted she would ever really get used to it, she did acclimate enough to feel like she could take an actual glance around the room. Carefully, slowly, she lifted her chin and surveyed the room. She recognized all the faces, had passed them in hallways, in the break rooms. Had she missed him? Had he walked out while she was in the bathroom?</p><p>
  <span>A kind of ragged disappointment dropped like a stone inside her. She looked down at the folder in her hand, pushing it away and leaning back in her chair. Probably, it was for the best. Probably, she should be glad that the most delicious alpha she’d ever had a non-encounter with wasn’t there. Probably, she should count it as a blessing and get back to work. ‘</span>
  <span>Probably’ could just fuck all the way off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eva stared at the folder, hating it. She hated this. She hated being here. She </span>
  <em>hated</em>
  <span> that she </span>
  <em>had to be</em>
  <span> here and doing this. Eva should have never taken the deal. She </span>
  <span>worked her jaw and mentally readjusted. It didn’t matter what she should have done. Her choices had brought her to this stupid fucking moment, and she just had to deal—at least for another year. One more year, less than. After that, she could make some decisions for herself. Before that, Eva was at the mercy of the US government. </span>
</p><p>Quick, hard steps snapped across the tile floor. Eva lifted her eyes to see Javier moving with another man, rapid fire Spanish bouncing between them. A spiteful part of her begrudged her handlers for sending her to yet another country where she couldn’t speak the language. Her one year of high school French definitely served no purpose here.</p><p>She almost looked away, but her next breath sparked the absolute worst thing inside her. Hope. Dear sweet lord, but he smelled good. The memory of her first day here could not compare to the rich, supple fragrance that rolled over her. Eva could not move. She could barely think. Her hind brain was screaming at her that—right there—was a gorgeous unmated alpha.</p><p>
  <span>Eva mentally cursed a string of obscenities that would have earned her a hard slap from her mother. Of course he was gorgeous. He couldn’t be seventy with gray hair and shriveled. No man who smelled like that could be anything but what was in front of her. </span>
  <span>Tall, broad shouldered, </span>
  <span>and...thick was the only adjective she could come up with. Every limb looked like it was wrapped in layers of muscle. </span>
  <span>She couldn’t take her eyes off him. She didn’t want to.</span>
</p><p>He walked with a sure stride, long legs carrying him from one end of the room to the other towards the door. Eva kept very still, watching as he turned away from her. It wasn’t until he was out of sight that she let out the breath she was holding.<em>Oh. Oh, no,</em> she thought while her hormones were screaming,<em> hell, yes.</em> He worked with the team she’d been assigned to. She could see him again, would have another opportunity to draw in his scent, maybe figure out a way to take it home with her so she could...</p><p>Eva snapped to attention.Fuck. No. She needed to get herself together immediately.</p><p>
  <span>Pushing her hair from her face, Eva grabbed a tissue and blotted the sweat from her brow and the back of her neck. She spent the rest of th</span>
  <span>at particular day alternating between ignoring and reveling in the brief (and possibly only) glimpse of him. </span>
  <span>A kind of relief passed through her, knowledge that she might just be a normal functioning omega. Thank fucking God.</span>
</p><p>The third time she actually did meet him, Eva couldn’t avoid it. She’d been called in to a meeting to talk with one of the department heads. Though Javier and Steve had also been called in, she hadn’t had enough time with them to know if she should be working to protect herself from being thrown under the bus.</p><p>
  <span>Steve was nice enough. She discovered early on that he and his wife lived about three </span>
  <span>buildings</span>
  <span> down on the same street as her—government assigned housing. Javier was, well, kind of grumpy. He seemed to have endless amounts of information about the ins and outs of the drug trade. Steve had once leaned over and told her that there were informants. She’d nodded sagely—there were always informants, and it went both ways. Eva liked them both, but she knew better than to place any trust in them, </span>
  <span>at least not yet</span>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The regional manager, a man whose name she’d never bothered to learn, sat at the head of the table. A few seats down sat the object of her recent late night fantasies. </span>
  <span>He was wearing the same uniform he’d been wearing a few weeks ago—local police. His hair was combed neatly away from his face, and though his expression was placid, his fists </span>
  <span>clenched on the table when she walked in</span>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eva barely kept herself from choking as she took a seat across from him. In the enclosed space, she had no choice but to be immersed in an aroma that had her literally salivating. She swallowed painfully, using the distraction of setting down her notebook and pen to force her body into some semblance of submission. </span>
  <span>Eva was only moderately successful. </span>
  <span>Heat suffused every pore, sweat beading behind her ears and at her temples. She crossed her legs, trying to add a little pressure to ease the ache.</span>
</p><p>“<span>Ms. Moore,” said the regional manager—why the fuck hadn’t she learned his name? “Have you met Colonel Carillo?”</span></p><p>
  <span>Politeness ingrained by her upbringing forced her to look at him in acknowledgment. Again, she cursed him for how God damned handsome he was, even when frowning. </span>
  <span>His gaze was steady, focused. She couldn’t hold it.</span>
</p><p>“<span>I haven’t. Its nice to meet you,” she said with a little nod. Not even her deep seated Southern etiquette could force her to offer her hand, </span><span>though she desperately wanted to</span><span>. It was one thing to draw him into her lungs, but to initiate contact was out of the question. </span><span>She had to keep some dignity. </span><span>One touch could upset the precarious grip she had on her body. It was bad enough that she’d had a resurgence of hormones that rivaled puberty.</span></p><p>To her great relief, Steve and Javier walked in and provided an excellent distraction. Steve looked tired in a way that reminded her of her first few years in the job. Everything is new—new and terrible. Javier was characteristically brusque, though he’d managed to put on a small, tight smile for appearances sake.</p><p>“What’s Carrillo doing here?” he asked.</p><p>“He’s here because you work with him on almost every case you have and it has come to my attention that I have been neglectful of this team,” the manager said—fucking what was his name? Eva tried to remember and failed.</p><p>“Neglectful how?” Steve asked, in time with Javier saying, “We’re a team?”</p><p>The manager paused meaningfully, and Eva saw something in his expression that made the hair on her arms stand up.</p><p>“I’ve failed to properly orient you to our newest member.”</p><p>Eva’s eyes closed briefly. So this was how it was going to be.</p><p>“Since we’re all going to be working together, I thought we’d at least get introduced.” The manager leaned back in his chair and pointed a finger at Eva, “Evangeline Moore. I looked you up.”</p><p>
  <em>Yes, you did, </em>
  <span>she thought bitterly.</span>
</p><p>“And couldn’t find a damn thing.”</p><p>
  <em>No, you didn’t</em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>“And, what I did find was classified.”</p><p>
  <em>Yes, it is.</em>
</p><p>“So that leads me to wonder who the hell you are and what you’re doing in my embassy.”</p><p>Eva scratched at the skin above her brow, trying not to roll her eyes, “I’m a consultant. I’ll look at your active cases, I’ll advise, you’ll catch some bad guys, we all go home.”</p><p>
  <span>There was tension in the air that refused to dissipate. Eva let i</span>
  <span>t</span>
  <span> hold, staring down the manager as evenly as she could. </span>
  <span>There was no way she was going to risk her contract for this asshole. </span>
  <span>He could try to intimidate her all he wanted, but she was going to complete her assignment.</span>
</p><p>“That’s not good enough.”</p><p>Her lips parted as she inhaled, swallowing back the fresh wave of sensation that came with tasting tobacco and vetiver, “As you said. Its classified.”</p><p>
  <span>Eyes narrow, the manager leaned forward on his forearms. Eva remained very still </span>
  <span>so as to not present any semblance of a threat</span>
  <span>. </span>
  <span>Dealing with men like this often took a light, careful hand. </span>
  <span>Let him think she was a fragile omega, too hormonal to deal with office politics. </span>
</p><p>“I’m going to find out.”</p><p>“I’m sure you will,” she replied, offering a smile that she knew wouldn’t reach her eyes.</p><p>
  <span>Another few moments of tense silence, and his mouth thinned. She knew she’d won, </span>
  <span>but was unsure what price she would pay for it—later, when he’d finally gotten the information he wanted</span>
  <span>. He’d keep digging, </span>
  <span>and maybe he’d find something. It didn’t matter. He wasn’t paying her bills. </span>
  <span>She didn’t owe him shit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he stood and left the room, Eva dropped her gaze to the table, not yet willing to look at the others. She knew what they would look like, knew that she’d already lost the battle with suspicion. </span>
  <span>Whatever impression she’d made, it had been shattered completely by now.</span>
</p><p>It was Steve who spoke first, “Classified, huh?”</p><p>Eva nodded, daring to glance up. He didn’t look angry, but he did look curious. Curious was the better option. She tamped down the urge to feel hopeful.</p><p>“<span>You want to let us in on that a little?” Javier asked, making a stilted little gesture with one hand, </span><span>fingers drumming on the table</span><span>.</span></p><p>Nearby, the Colonel remained silent and still. From her peripheral, she could tell he was looking at her, and that knowledge made her skin pull tight over her body, nerves frazzled. She couldn’t return that look.</p><p>She hesitated for a long time, but the silence held, waiting. Eva knew this technique, had endured it many times. But, experience told her that she needed to be up front with people she would be working with closely. In a month or so, they would know, anyways. Lying or prevaricating now would permanently damage any relationship she tried to build, and the rest of her time on this assignment would be very, very lonely. Eva did not want to be lonely. Not any more.</p><p>“How did you come in to this?” Colonel Carillo asked, a low, rough timbre in his voice.</p><p>Eva chanced a look in his direction, “The United States government found me and put me to work.”</p><p>“Where did they find you?” This came from Javier.</p><p>
  <span>She hesitated again, “</span>
  <span>Gatesville, Texas. In the Mountain View Unit of the Department of Criminal Justice.” Eva waited a beat, then added, “Prison.” Just for clarification.</span>
</p><p>“Prison,” Javier echoed.</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>Steve’s brows drew together, “What were you in for?”</p><p>
  <span>Fuck, she was going to have to tell this story. </span>
  <em>Keep it short, Eva</em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>“Murder, second degree,” Eva answered evenly, “And desecration of a body.”</p><p>“Who’d you kill?” Javier blurted out, looking surprised.</p><p>
  <span>Eva shifted in her seat, flattening her hand on the table in front of her, “My husband—</span>
  <em>after</em>
  <span> he broke </span>
  <span>m</span>
  <span>y arm in three places, fractured two of my ribs, and cracked my cheekbone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ca</span>
  <span>r</span>
  <span>rillo’s scent changed so drasticall</span>
  <span>y</span>
  <span> that it se</span>
  <span>n</span>
  <span>t her </span>
  <span>careening</span>
  <span>. </span>
  <span>Her body swayed a little as she attempted to right herself.</span>
  <span> What was a smooth and sweet turned sour and furious. Eva appreciated it, but </span>
  <span>her instincts kept trying to get her to reach out and touch him, to soothe him</span>
  <span>. She doubted that either of the other men in the room could tell. Betas could attune themselves to those of other statuses, with time. But, omegas were instinct bound to know and respond to the moods and needs of alphas, and visa versa. </span>
  <span>There was no need to get excited. </span>
  <span>It was possible he’d noted her anxiety and was moved involuntarily to react. </span>
</p><p>“That’s not murder,” he said, leaning forward a little, “That’s self defense.”</p><p>
  <span>Eva smile</span>
  <span>d</span>
  <span> wanly at him, “You’re right. But, my late husband’s family is very rich. They had the judge and most of the jury in their pockets, as was explained to me in the judge’s chambers. You can imagine that they didn’t take well to my murdering their only son. Pleading guilty </span>
  <span>to a lesser charge </span>
  <span>was the only thing that kept me from death row.”</span>
</p><p>From the other end of the table, Javier tapped out a cigarette and said, “Jesus Christ.”</p><p>Eva’s smile thinned, “I’m a thousand percent sure Jesus had nothing to do with it.”</p><p>More silence. This was a meeting filled with awkward, tense silence. She fucking hated it.</p><p>“How old were you?” Steve asked, bumming a cigarette off Javier and lighting it.</p><p>She shrugged, “Twenty one, when I was convicted.”</p><p>
  <span>Nearly fifteen years and she still felt her right pinky go numb from time to time. </span>
  <span>Eva had to stop herself from thumbing the space where her wedding band had been, </span>
  <span>a nervous tick from the seven years she’d spent in hell.</span>
</p><p>Javier let out a full breath of smoke and held up his hands, “Okay, I gotta know. How did you do it?”</p><p>
  <span>Eva rolled one shoulder and answered, “I let him think he’d knocked me out. Then, I crawled to the kitchen, </span>
  <span>got ahold of the fire extinguisher, and caved his skull in when his back was turned.”</span>
</p><p>She’d said this before. A few times. To therapists, to doctors, to a few coworkers. They’d all looked at her with a kind of bewildered pity. As Steve was doing, as Javier was trying not to do.</p><p>“<span>Good,” Ca</span><span>r</span><span>rillo said, tone final. </span><span>His scent had softened marginally, but she could still detect acrid rage.</span></p><p>Eva regarded him with a lifted brow.</p><p>“That explains the murder,” Javier began, stubbing out the cigarette, “But not the desecration.”</p><p>She gave tiny little laugh, embarrassed, “Ah, yeah. You can imagine I wasn’t thinking very clearly at the time. I...wanted to be sure I’d killed him. So, I dragged him to the back yard and used the propane from the grill to set him on fire.”</p><p>To her left, Carrillo leaned back, eyes taking her in, “They made you a consultant for ensuring he didn’t get an open casket?”</p><p>Eva shook her head, “No, although that was a very thin silver lining of the whole situation. They made me a consultant because he was running a large and complex opiate ring, serving the yuppie population of Louisiana and part of Texas with their daily fix. They also had some experimental hormone therapies—aphrodisiacs, mostly—but primarily it was pills. I ran the books, kept everything above water, ensured the money came out the other side of a couple dozen businesses clean as a whistle. And, I was very, very good at it.”</p><p>
  <span>She would never allow herself to feel shame for just how good she was at what she did, </span>
  <span>though she acknowledged that it was illegal</span>
  <span>. </span>
  <span>She also had come to terms with the lives that she’d, by proxy, destroyed, over the years. That took more work than setting the bones in her arm and the subsequent surgery to put in pins.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Five hundred million dollars rolling around in her books at any one time, a couple hundred thousand liquid for use to bribe, buy, or kill whoever needed it. Of course, most of it had been rerouted by the time she’d been pulled from her cell, hidden once more. A few years after she’d taken the consulting deal, she’d gone and </span>
  <span>checked on</span>
  <span> the soft duff</span>
  <span>le </span>
  <span>bags full of cash from a mausoleum—enough to disappear her, if necessary.</span>
</p><p>“So that’s what you’re here for?” Javier asked, “To check the books?”</p><p>Eva grimaced, “Not really. I’m here to see what I can see. Abnormalities, flaws, little things that might tell you where to look, who to look for, and who might not be playing for your team.”</p><p>Carrillo’s expression had gone from wary, to intrigued, to angry, to amused in about ten seconds. His head had cocked to the side, brows lifted in a way that made her insides twist. She had to force herself to keep her breathing steady.</p><p>“With respect, this isn’t pills and upper middle class addicts.”</p><p>She conceded the point with a deferential nod, “I know. But, the mechanics are pretty close. They still have to move the product, get frontline dealers on the ground, and keep law enforcement off their backs. All things I’ve seen up close.”</p><p>“Did your husband also have an entire country working to keep him from being captured?”</p><p>
  <span>There was a nerve there that Eva had inadvertently poked at, though she wasn’t sure </span>
  <span>how</span>
  <span>. Immediately, and to her utter bafflement, she felt her chin dip, eyes lowering. She wanted to appease him, to smooth the harsh edge of his discontent. Her spine stiffened. Nope.</span>
</p><p>“<span>No, but </span><span>my </span><em>late husband</em><span> had </span><span>a few congressm</span><span>e</span><span>n and one very friendly district attorney who made sure we never had anything to worry about.”</span></p><p>It was his turn to concede the point, which he did—reluctantly. Eva felt a tiny little thrill go through her and it took work to keep herself from smiling wide.</p><p>“You’ve been reading our files for weeks,” Steve began, extinguishing his cigarette, “You see anything?”</p><p>She blinked, “For starters, you’ve got a mole. But, you knew that, or I wouldn’t be here.”</p><p>The silence following that statement told her that she was right.</p><p>“And, you’re not doing a bad job of identifying and following up on leads. The legwork you’re doing is good, though I’ll grant you that its...held up by red tape.”</p><p>Javier gave a groan of agreement, “Tell me about it.”</p><p>“<span>Other than that,” she continued, “I don’t have much to offer. I still have months of documentation to read through and—</span><span>no offense—but there’s a lot of information missing.”</span></p><p>Steve cut in, “You mean redacted.”</p><p>“No,” Eva said slowly, “I mean missing. Whole reports just, poof, gone.”</p><p>More silence. More stuff they already knew. Cool.</p><p>Eva glanced at the clock on the wall, “I’ve got a phone call I need to make. I hope this meeting has cleared the air, so to speak.”</p><p>From around the room, she got various non-verbal confirmations.</p><p>“Good, if you’ll excuse me.”</p><p>Outside, Eva took a deep breath, feeling lighter. This might not go like the other assignments had gone. She might make it out of it feeling like a human being.</p><p>Three days later, the first body dropped.</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Eva had no idea why she’d been asked to come to the scene, just that Steve had called her from the office and asked her to stop by. There had been a murder. She parked a block or so away and headed to the motel. When she got there, it was blocked off, but there were no officers around. With a shrug, she ducked the tape and headed for the open door of the room, hitching her bag higher on her shoulder.</p>
<p>She saw the arm first, blood dripping down and staining the carpet. It was a woman. Eva breathed a bit and called out to see if anyone was there. An officer popped his head out of the bathroom, looking angry.</p>
<p>“Hi,” she said with what she hoped was a friendly smile, “I’m here from the embassy.”</p>
<p>He barreled towards her, arms waving angrily. Confused, Eva slipped her hand into the pocket of her jeans to show him her badge. That...made things worse. She was grabbed, the officer yelling, his hand tight on her arm. Eva felt her fight or flight kick in and she tried to jerk out of his hold. She managed to get her arm free, but he caught her by her purse, yanking her further into the room.</p>
<p>At the end of it, she was cuffed to the towel rack in the bathroom, her purse sitting by her feet. She’d been told to ‘sit’, and that was about the extent of her understanding of the incident. Exasperated, Eva waited for him to leave. Thankfully, he closed the door behind him, giving her the opportunity act unobserved.</p>
<p>“Fuck this,” she sneered, one leg kicking out to snag the strap of her bag.</p>
<p>Carefully, she tugged it towards her, aware of the sound she might be making. One ear trained to the sounds outside, she made as little noise a possible to get at her goal. It took some serious finagling, but she managed to get inside. From its depths, she pulled a paperclip that had been holding together a pack of reports, bending it between shaking fingers. The cuffs were standard—she knew how they worked. One pin, serrated edges caught on a single lip. They used these in America, too, and she’d become pretty good at getting out of them over the years.</p>
<p>As she unlocked the first cuff, Eva caught sounds of movement outside, voices talking in agitated tones. She bent to the second cuff, fingers shaking. The door opened and she tucked her hands into her side, hiding the loosened binds from whoever might come at her. Eva knew her expression looked pretty damn guilty, though she hadn’t done anything. She didn’t have the time to school her features into something more innocent.</p>
<p>The door swung open and Colonel Carrillo—<em>Horacio</em><span>, as she’d learned—stood in the doorway, looking surprised. </span><span>He took up the entire space, filling the room even though he hadn’t yet stepped inside.</span><span> Eva could not help the little spike of...something...that fired up </span><span>at the sight of him</span><span>. </span><span>It was as if her body would scream</span><em> ‘yes, please’</em><span> every...single...time.</span> <span>Habit had her holding her breath at first, just to get her bearings. If she breathed too deeply of him in the first few seconds, it was harder to maintain any sense of control.</span></p>
<p>When he didn’t speak, she offered him a trembling smile, “Hi.”</p>
<p>Her wrist turned as slowly as she could, lifting the pin and loosening the cuff soundlessly.</p>
<p>“Hi,” he echoed, before blinking rapidly, as if to refocus. “How…?”</p>
<p>“Steve called, asked me to stop by. I think I scared your officer.”</p>
<p>He looked behind him, she slipped the cuff from her wrist, keeping her hands next to the towel rack, hidden by her body.</p>
<p>When he returned his gaze to her, he put one hand up in a ‘stay’ motion, “I’ll get the key.”</p>
<p>Eva laughed, a short, curt thing, “Don’t bother.”</p>
<p>Turning her shoulders, she lifted both hands, the cuffs dangling from her forefinger. Wordlessly, she offered them to him. His eyes dropped to her outstretched hand, and she could see his jaw clench. She kept her breathing shallow, though there was little she could do about the way her mind analyzed his scent, cataloged his body language. Surprise. Soft amusement. Pride, perhaps. An undercurrent of something dark that she recognized, but refused to name for the sake of her sanity.</p>
<p>He stepped deliberately out of the doorway, gave her a wide berth to exit. Eva was grateful. Though she rejoiced in the hormones that flooded her in his presence, she didn’t like the thought of making a fool of herself—which, she knew would happen if he got too close. It was enough to enjoy the excited feeling she got when they were in a room together.</p>
<p>It occurred to Eva that it might not be a positive reflection of herself that she was more worried about the alpha in the room than the dead body. She was aware of him at all times, a wave of heat that fanned out from him to lay heavily on her skin. It was too fucking distracting, but she liked it so much that she gave herself a pass.</p>
<p>Javier walked in with another officer, who took one look at his superior and high tailed it out of the room. She folded her hands in front of her, annoyed that Steve hadn’t even bothered to show up when she wasn’t even supposed to be at a crime scene.</p>
<p>“What am I doing here?”</p>
<p>“You’re here,” Javier explained, “To help us figure out who did this.”</p>
<p>Eva rolled her eyes, “I’m not a crime scene investigator. I’m a data analyst.”</p>
<p>Behind her, Carrillo shifted on his feet. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end as she clocked an exhalation of frustration. Her hands tightened as she resisted the urge to run a palm down his arm, to soothe him.</p>
<p>“You’re told us you were here to ‘see what you can see’. Well—what do you see?” Javier had both hands in his pockets, she could see the butt of his pistol peeking from a holster from underneath.</p>
<p>She stared at him, anxious about what he was trying to prove, or get at. Javier was grumpy, prone to bouts of pettiness and self hatred. He wasn’t cruel. She knew cruelty. It was unlikely that he was trying to make fun of her, or trick her.</p>
<p>Looking down at the body, Eva took her in. She was pretty, mid-thirties, dark hair that was gray at the temples. Naked, splayed on her side, hand tucked into her chin. Her clothes were...nowhere to be seen. But, the killer had left a scarf, possibly hers. It was laid across her like a sash, melding in with the curls of her hair.</p>
<p>“This was deliberate.”</p>
<p>Javier scoffed, “Yeah, a murder is pretty deliberate.”</p>
<p>Eva shot him a baleful glare, saying, “Look at her.”</p>
<p>He did.</p>
<p>“Look at how pretty she looks, look at her pose, her face. Its...art. She’s like a fucking Botticelli.”</p>
<p>Carrillo moved again and Eva lost focus. She closed her eyes, feeling him edge around her. When she opened them, both men in the room were looking down at the poor woman.</p>
<p>“If this guy thinks he’s an artist,” she began, then started over, “With any artist, there is a signature. Its probably in the room somewhere. Maybe on her body.”</p>
<p>She looked over the limbs and she felt sympathy for her. Someone killed her to make a statement.</p>
<p>“Why is the DEA involved in this?”</p>
<p>Javier wouldn’t meet her eyes, “She was one of my informants.”</p>
<p>Eva made a sound of understanding, a soft, sad thing. She’d been killed as an example, not a statement. That made it worse.</p>
<p>“I don’t know what else to tell you,” Eva said, “I wish I saw more.”</p>
<p>Carrillo spoke, he was closer than she anticipated, she jumped a little, “You don’t have to tell us anything else.”</p>
<p>She looked at him, and saw that he was looking at Javier, a silent conversation occurring between them. It frustrated her more than when they deliberately had conversations in Spanish, keeping her out of the loop. Eva had picked up words here or there, a byproduct of living in the country, but she couldn’t even get close to following along.</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Javier agreed, eyes dropping to the floor briefly. “Look, Steve and me are going to get a drink. Day’s over, anyways. Why don’t you come with?” When Eva hesitated, he continued, “Connie’ll be there. She wants to meet you.”</p>
<p>He was inviting her in, Eva realized. Giving her a little more access to the pair of them than was strictly called for in their professional working relationship. It was an invitation that she very rarely got, and had never accepted. It surprised her how much she wanted to, now.</p>
<p>“You’re invited, too,” Javier added, gesturing to Carrillo.</p>
<p>Javier lifted his brows in question, looking to Eva for a response. She nodded, turning towards the bathroom to get her purse.</p>
<p>“Where is this place?” She asked, lifting the bag over her shoulder.</p>
<p>Javier gave her the address—it wasn’t far from where she lived, she could walk there, if she wanted.</p>
<p>“Okay,” she breathed, “I’ll meet you there in, like, twenty minutes? I’m parked a bit away—missed the sign the first time.”</p>
<p>“<span>I’ll walk you to your car,” Ca</span><span>r</span><span>rillo said, already heading outside.</span></p>
<p>
  <span>Eva gave Javier a little nod and followed him, eyeing his broad form as he walked ahead. His legs were longer than hers. At five foot nothing, she had to do a little skip to catch up. They ducked under the caution tape wrapped around little posts, </span>
  <span>Car</span>
  <span>r</span>
  <span>illo holding the tape up and away from her.</span>
</p>
<p>“<span>How do you like Colombia?”</span></p>
<p>The question took her off guard a little. He’d been extremely polite to her during their interactions, but never veered from discussing the work.</p>
<p>Eva considered it, “Its pretty, here. I like how green it is. My last assignment was in a literal desert in Nevada, so this is a nice change.” She added, “I haven’t seen much, though, outside of what’s on the road to work. My handlers like to tell me that I’m a consultant, not a tourist.”</p>
<p>Why was she talking so fast? Eva pressed her lips together and gripped the strap of her bag to keep from rambling.</p>
<p>He gave a low chuckle, “If you do decide to become a tourist, take someone with you. It can be dangerous, here.”</p>
<p>She looked up at him, expecting to see a look of condescension on his face. Poor little omega, protect them at all costs, keep them locked up and safe. Instead, Eva could only see a kind of hesitant concern. She liked him even more for it.</p>
<p>When they reached her car, Eva unlocked it, throwing her purse in the passenger’s seat before turning to look at him.</p>
<p>“Thank you, for walking me.”</p>
<p>
  <span>He regarded her with curiosity, and it hit her that this was the first time they’d </span>
  <span>really </span>
  <span>been alone together. </span>
  <span>Their brief encounters always had the buffer of another person, another scent in the air </span>
  <span>to muddy the waters. Right now, all she could smell was the clean earthy smell of the country, and him.</span>
</p>
<p>“Why aren’t you afraid?” he asked, looking genuinely curious.</p>
<p>She let out a soft, amused breath, “Of what?”</p>
<p>“Me.”</p>
<p>The way he said it was so...matter of fact. As if it would be a given that she should look at him and feel fear.</p>
<p>“Why would I be afraid of you?” she asked, her head tilting to the side.</p>
<p>He ran a hand through his hair, “A lot of omegas are.”</p>
<p>Eva could see why they would be. He had about a hundred pounds on her, could take her down easily, if she ran. She tried not to think about how that thought excited her.</p>
<p>Her jaw unhinged as she tried to respond. A couple quick quips filtered in and she dismissed them. This was an honest question. She should give an honest answer.</p>
<p>“You’re not a threat to me.”</p>
<p>
  <span>He wasn’t. Not in the way that other alphas had been. They both knew that he could have pressed his advantage already, could have used her hormones against her to get at something he wanted. </span>
  <span>She’d heard how he closed his cases, that he was ruthless, calculating, violent.</span>
  <span> His unfailing courtesy, the space he continually gave her, was noted and welcome. </span>
</p>
<p>His head dipped down and to the side and he took a step forward, “I’m not?”</p>
<p>“No,” she confirmed.</p>
<p>Although, she could feel a tense kind of anxiety rise up as he approached. Heat rose to her cheeks, and for once she was glad for the fucking unrelenting sunlight of the country. Eva was always a little pink when she went outside.</p>
<p>“How do you know that?”</p>
<p>She swallowed, watching him advance another step, the movement smooth and unhurried. He was maybe five feet away, now three, “If you wanted something from me, you would have taken it by now.”</p>
<p>Carrillo stepped into the last little bit of her space, hand resting on the open door beside her. Again, he asked, “How do you know that?”</p>
<p>Eva lifted a shoulder, his eyes followed the movement, “You don’t strike me as the kind of man who waits to have it handed to him.”</p>
<p>He smiled, a little sarcasm in his voice, “You’ve gathered all that in, what, five interactions?”</p>
<p>Six, she correctly mentally. Each one burned into her memory as solidly as his scent. It swirled around her and she found herself squeezing her keys into her palm in an effort to keep her body from leaning further forward, from pressing her nose to the sensitive gland just below his ear where it was most fragrant. She could mark herself with it, with just a little bit of pressure and friction. She could take it with her for the rest of the day.</p>
<p>“<span>I know what man looks like when he wants to hurt me,” she offered by way of explanation. “You don’t look like that.”</span></p>
<p>His mouth thinned in displeasure, or maybe annoyance. He tapped his thumb once on the door, stepping away, but not far.</p>
<p>“Its unwise to confuse restraint for,” he searched for the words, “Lack of...want.” Followed by, “See you at the bar.”</p>
<p>Eva watched him go for a few seconds. He didn’t look back. With a shake of her head, she got in the car and started it.</p>
<p>
  <span>The bar was dark, despite the daylight still filtering in. Dark, and smoky. Eva caught sight of her coworkers at a table not far off from the entrance. </span>
  <span>She gave a little wave, making her way towards them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A</span>
  <span>s she sat, a blonde woman approached, a couple beer bottles in her hand. </span>
  <span>Eva clocked her as an alpha immediately. She smelled like cinnamon and citrus.</span>
</p>
<p>“Hi,” she said warmly, “I’m Connie.”</p>
<p>Eva shook her hand and accepted the beer, “Eva.”</p>
<p>“I didn’t know what you drank, so I guessed,” she gestured to the beer as she sat next to Eva.</p>
<p>Touched by the consideration, Eva simply said, “This is fine, thank you.”</p>
<p>“So, Steve tells me you’re a consultant. Must be exciting.”</p>
<p>Eva shook her head, sipping, “Its really not. I just deal with the paperwork. And, apparently, the occasional crime scene.”</p>
<p>Javier had the good grace to look away. Connie smiled and leaned into her husband. He wrapped an arm around her, kissing her at the hairline. Eva could see that they were very much in love, she hoped it could survive his occupation. Not many relationships did.</p>
<p>“<span>I mostly sit at a desk,” Eva said, to keep the conversation going. </span></p>
<p>
  <span>C</span>
  <span>onnie smiled, “So you’re bored out of your mind, reading Steve’s reports?”</span>
</p>
<p>Eva returned the smile, “Pretty much. I’ll take bored any day, though. Beats the hell out of getting shot at.”</p>
<p>Her expression faltered, but Connie recovered quickly, “Where are you from?”</p>
<p>“Louisiana, for the most part.”</p>
<p>“How’d you end up here?”</p>
<p>Eva shrugged, unphased by the rapid questions Connie lobbed at her, “Probably the same way you did. I went where they told me to go.”</p>
<p>“<em>They</em><span>,” Connie said with emphasis, “Can suck a lemon.”</span></p>
<p>Clearly, there were some unresolved issues with regard to Connie and the DEA. Eva thought it might be nice to hear a few stories from her, just to see if she saw the same things that Eva did.</p>
<p>The door to the bar swung open and Carrillo walked through. Eva kept her expression as neutral as possible, but had to suppress a curse when she realized that the only open seat at their table was to her right. She rolled the bottle between her thumb and first three fingers, offering a small smile of acknowledgment when he sat.</p>
<p>“Sorry I’m late,” he said, flagging down a waitress, “Had to reprimand an officer.”</p>
<p>Eva wanted to ask if it was the same officer who’d detained her. She didn’t.</p>
<p>While the men conversed around them, Connie leaned over, “Are you like them?”</p>
<p>Eva hummed in question.</p>
<p>“Living and breathing the job?” This was said in a conspiratorial tone. Connie’s expression was both secretive and open, a strange combination of the two.</p>
<p>Shaking her head, Eva eyed the rest of the table, consciously measuring half a second for each so as to not linger where her eyes kept wanting to look, “No. This is just where I ended up.”</p>
<p>“Oh, thank God,” Connie breathed as she grasped Eva’s shoulder, “Finally, I’m going to have someone normal to talk to.”</p>
<p>“I wouldn’t say that,” Eva responded, tipping back her beer and setting it on the table, empty. “I could be completely insane.”</p>
<p>“I’ll take it,” she tipped a bottle at her.</p>
<p>Eva huffed, noting that Connie was a little low, “Sure, okay. You bought me a beer, let me return the favor.”</p>
<p>And that was how it went for a while. Steve telling a story, Javier chain smoking, Connie rolling her eyes, and Eva...Eva did her best to keep her blood at a low simmer. He’d admitted to her that he wanted her, and she didn’t know what to do with that information. Though he looked relaxed, Carrillo had returned to the overly polite manner that had colored their previous interactions. It made her want to poke at him, just to get a reaction. She resisted, just barely.</p>
<p>“I looked you up, you know.”</p>
<p>Eva was startled out of her thoughts by Javier, “Really?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, found your last boss.” He was looking at her sidelong, gauging her expression.</p>
<p>Forcing her body to relax, Eva gave him a placid smile, “How is Vanessa?”</p>
<p>He lit a cigarette, “She’s good. I asked her what you were like?”</p>
<p>“Oh no,” Eva shot back, rolling her eyes with a little laugh.</p>
<p>“She said you’re quote-unquote ‘willful’.”</p>
<p>“She’s not wrong.”</p>
<p>Eva could be pretty stubborn when she wanted something, a trait that not even her husband had been able to beat out of her. A trait that had survived prison and working for the government. Stubborn trait.</p>
<p>“She also said you get results.”</p>
<p>Eva made tipped her beer at him,“Again, not wrong.”</p>
<p>He waited a beat, his mouth twisting just a bit, “She said we shouldn’t be friendly with you.”</p>
<p>
  <span>A cold hand ran down her spine. </span>
  <span>God, it was the same old song and dance with his job, wasn’t it? </span>
  <span>She swallowed down the disappointment with her next swig of beer.</span>
</p>
<p>“You want to tell us why she said that?”</p>
<p>Eva put a hand to her forehead, rubbing at the space between her brows, “The short answer is that its classified. The long answer is that you already know why.”</p>
<p>He stubbed out the cigarette, blowing out the last of the smoke from his lungs, “If you get results, I guess I don’t care much about the things you’ve done.”</p>
<p>Unable to keep the sneer from her voice, she said, “I’m so glad I have your approval, then.”</p>
<p>“Alright,” Carrillo cut in, hands rising between the two of them, “We’ve been over this. Can we move on?”</p>
<p>
  <span>Eva glanced at him and made a noncommittal sound, lifting her beer to salute Javier. </span>
  <span>He returned the gesture.</span>
</p>
<p>“You’re going to have to explain all of this to me,” Connie said lowly as the conversation resumed.</p>
<p>Eva laughed a little, “Absolutely.”</p>
<p>“Good, you can do that in aerobics class.”</p>
<p>Eva frowned, “What?”</p>
<p>“I need a partner and you look athletic.”</p>
<p>Eva was athletic, had been her whole life, “Um…”</p>
<p>“Great, there is a class tomorrow night. Local gym, not hard at all.”</p>
<p>“Um…”</p>
<p>“You’re free tomorrow, right?”</p>
<p>She was, technically, free, “I mean, yeah…”</p>
<p>“Okay, you’re coming with me.”</p>
<p>As Connie pushed away from the table to get another round, Eva looked at the group, “What just happened?”</p>
<p>Steve’s smile was sympathetic, “Sorry, she does that.”</p>
<p>“Is there a way around it?”</p>
<p>“Nope.”</p>
<p>Eva looked back at Connie, then shrugged, “Okay.”</p>
<p>The sun had sunk by the time they left. She’d traded numbers with Connie, agreeing to drive over together after work. When Eva looked through the windshield, before pulling out of the parking spot, she noticed that Carrillo had watched her go to her car. He was standing near the curb, finishing a cigarette, keys hanging from a curled finger. She gave him a little wave from over the steering wheel, turning the ignition.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Eva walked out of the office, folder clenched in her hand. Her breath was stuttering in and out of her lungs, her teeth hurt. With effort, she loosened her jaw and kept moving. The sound of her heels clicking on the floor satisfied the need to break literally every fragile object in reach. She didn’t give a shit if she scuffed the tile.</p><p>“<em>What does your contract say?”</em></p><p>“<em>No field work.”</em></p><p>“<em>No. Field. Work. And, what did you do?”</em></p><p>“<em>I didn’t know what--,”</em></p><p>“<em>What—did you do?”</em></p><p>“<em>Field work.”</em></p><p>As she entered the open office space, Javier waved her over, looking pleased. To keep herself from throwing her entire desk across the room, Eva made her way over. Carrillo was standing at another desk, on the phone. She couldn’t meet his eyes, though she knew his gaze followed her from one end of the room to the other.</p><p>“We got a lead on that body, the informant. Found a tattoo, a ‘z’, on her inner arm. Looks fresh.”</p><p>“I don’t care,” Eva shot back, she finally had a target for her anger.</p><p>Javier blinked, “You don’t care.”</p><p>“No, I don’t,” she spit out. “I got an informal reprimand today for coming to help with that case.”</p><p>He waved a hand, “Fuck them. You really helped, I’d like you to look at the pictures we took.”</p><p>Eva leaned a hand on his desk moving into his space and speaking softly, “My contract says I don’t go out and do field work, not under any circumstances. Do you know what happens if I break my contract?” She didn’t wait for a response, whispering harshly, “I go back to <em>prison</em>.”</p><p>Standing up, Eva threw down the now crumpled folder. “I found your mole by the way. You’re welcome.”</p><p>She couldn’t stay in that room. The air was stifled with the indifference of the other agents and her own anger. Eva passed through the hall and into one of the records rooms. It was, thankfully, empty. Emotions roiling, she leaned on a stack of boxes, practicing the deep breathing exercises her therapist had taught her right after she’d been released. It helped. Marginally. Behind her, the door opened and closed.</p><p>Eva sniffed, righted herself, and turned. Carrillo was standing just inside the room, arms crossed. The stance emphasized how his uniform had to be cut just a little too big, to accommodate his size. If she weren’t so angry, Eva might have appreciated the sight of him more.</p><p>“You need to calm down.”</p><p>She bared her teeth, “When, in the history of calming down, has telling someone to calm down ever worked, Carrillo.”</p><p>He rolled his eyes, “I’m trying to help you. And, my name is Horacio. I’d like you to use it.”</p><p>Eva pressed her hands to her face and breathed again, she couldn’t do this. She could <em>not</em> do this.</p><p>“I can’t do this right now.”</p><p>When she made to go around him and back out into the hall, he grabbed her arm and shoved her into the wall next to the door. Eva didn’t hit it hard, but she was shocked into stillness. Both hands hovered in front of her as she tried to anticipate his next move.</p><p>Carrillo—<em>Horacio</em>-- gently and very deliberately grasped her shoulders, “Listen to me. I know how this works. They want you to be angry. They want you to make a mistake. Don’t give them that satisfaction.”</p><p>“I’m trying.” Eva refused to be ashamed of the whine in her voice, or the way she stomped her foot to emphasize the second word.</p><p>“Try harder,” he admonished, “Keep your head down and your mouth shut.”</p><p>His thumbs rubbed soothing circles on her arms, and Eva felt her body go a little bit lax. Her weight flattened into the wall. His scent wafted around her, both soothing and infuriatingly arousing.</p><p>“There,” he said, voice not much above a whisper. “There you go.”</p><p>He was too close, and yet not close enough. Every time she breathed, he was all she could smell. She tried to swallow around a dry throat. His name came out of her mouth, a small, whiny sound. Her hands reached out, fingers spread over his chest. She held them there, gauging his reaction.</p><p>Horacio’s eyes were hooded, gaze falling to her mouth. His scent sharpened. He leaned down, inhaling. His nose brushed her cheek. Eva could feel his hands tighten just a bit, as if he was afraid she’d pull away. She wouldn’t have gone anywhere. She was right where she wanted to be.</p><p>Slowly, to give her time to decide, he moved closer. One hand slipped to her waist, the other combed gently through her hair. Pressing his forehead into her temple, Horacio let out a rumbling growl. It vibrated through her body, relaxing her further so that she almost melted into him.</p><p>He was overwhelming her, her body responding acutely. She could taste him, and she hadn’t even put her mouth on him yet. Her tongue rolled over the back of her teeth as she imagined running it over his jawline.</p><p>
  <span>They remained pressed tightly together for several long minutes, mostly still other than the rising and falling of their breath. Eva closed her eyes. He traced her ear and down over the tendons of her neck. The action prompted her to lift her chin and give him more access. He hummed, a pleased sound. More light touches followed—her collarbone, her shoulder, down her arm and back. </span>
  <span>His brow remained pressed against her the whole time, </span>
  <span>stabilizing her.</span>
</p><p>She wanted to touch him back, to explore the body that enfolded her. But, her hands remained in place, trembling on his chest. He adjusted, his cheek laying against her, breath ghosting over her skin. Eva shivered, her fingers curling.</p><p>Horacio pulled back a little, clocked her acquiescence, and cupped both sides of her face. Eva’s lips parted as she waited. His mouth was a few centimeters from hers, if she stuck out her tongue, she’d be able to taste him from the source. Eva felt her body, already warm and languid, light up with want.</p><p>When he spoke, his lips brushed hers, “Keep your cool.”</p><p>Eva didn’t know if he was speaking to her, or to himself, but the anticipation of a touch that may or may not come was driving her up a wall. Literally. She’d risen on her tip toes in her heels, legs working her upwards. Horacio moved with her, and when she gave in and tried to reach up for him, he maintained those precious few centimeters.</p><p>“This is what you’re going to do,” he murmured, “You’re going to go out there and finish your shift. Then, you’re going to go to aerobics class with Connie—work off some of that energy. Tomorrow, you’ll come in and you’ll do your job. Same as always.”</p><p>Eva nodded, reaching for him again. The hand in her hair tightened in warning.</p><p>She let her head fall back to the wall, a long breath pushing through her nose. One side of his mouth lifted, but his eyes were fierce and focused. His thumb traced her bottom lip, and she touched her tongue to it. Hissing a breath, he brought the digit to his mouth and sucked on the tip. Eva watched his eyes close, and then open again, her breathing loud and ragged.</p><p>Pulling his thumb free, he took one long step back, “Go out there and show them that they can’t rattle you.”</p><p>Eva didn’t move, staring at him.</p><p>“<em>Go.</em><span>”</span></p><p>
  <span>The tone of the directive pushed her into action. She turned and slipped out of the room, heading for her desk. </span>
  <span>She got no work done. Her brain kept replaying the way his body went tight in pleasure as he tasted her from his own skin. Despite her earlier misgivings, she was looking forward to ‘working off some energy’ after work.</span>
</p><p>Later, she was laying on the floor next to Connie, sweating to death and groaning, “That was a real bitch.”</p><p>Connie gave her a thumbs up, still not able to speak. Eva laughed rolled to her stomach, pushing to her knees.</p><p>“You said it wasn’t hard.”</p><p>Connie caught the towel Eva tossed at her, “You said you were athletic.”</p><p>“Athletic,” Eva asserted, “Not an Olympian.”</p><p>The first half hour was actually pretty fun—a kind of choreographed kickboxing put to the beat of music. The instructor was fun and entertaining. Eva was having a blast. And then, she kicked it up a notch. They did drill after drill, each one growing more complex until Eva had to tap out for water and a break.</p><p>“<span>You did fine.”</span></p><p>“Jesus, fuck,” Eva cursed, swigging a large mouthful of water. She’d been able to drag herself up onto a bench where she leaned on her forearms. Sweat fell freely from her forehead and arms.</p><p>Connie sat up, pushing wet hair from her face, “I’m going to feel this tomorrow.”</p><p>“I’m going to feel it for the rest of my life.”</p><p>“I’m going to feel it for so long my grandchildren will feel it.”</p><p>Eva held up her hands, “Okay, you win.”</p><p>Connie was able to get to the bench eventually, and she sat, still breathing hard, next to Eva. Eva handed her the water bottle.</p><p>“Same time next week?”</p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p>“Cool.”</p><p>“Cool.”</p><p>
  <span>Afterwards, Connie drove her home. </span>
  <span>Eva watched the streetlights pass, the night warm and humid. Connie flipped through the radio stations and settled on something vaguely rock in quality. </span>
</p><p>“So, how’s work?”</p><p>Eva gave her a sidelong look, “I thought you didn’t like to talk about it.”</p><p>She lifted a shoulder and changed the station again, “I figure you’ve got a different perspective, as a woman.”</p><p>As a woman. Eva’s smile was angry when she thought about that phrase. Not for the first time that day, she wondered if she would have gotten that informal if she had been a man, if she hadn’t been a woman and omega. Though things were better than they had been, omegas were still somewhat looked down upon. Uncontrollable in a way that scared people.</p><p>The exact way in which the hormones functioned, especially during pair bonding between alphas and omegas was still so misunderstood that a lot of people considered it something like witchfraft. The pull of it was so strong it literally changed the chemical make up of the human body. As such, alphas were generally regarded as reckless and violent, though those temperaments were often ignored in males. In omegas, especially females... She had to work twice as hard to maintain the image that she wasn’t just a barrel of hormones—distracting.</p><p>“<span>Its hard,” Eva said, finally. “</span><span>I feel like I make a wrong move every time I turn around. I spend my time alternating between being proud of what I do and hating every second of it.”</span></p><p>Connie nodded, “I know the feeling.”</p><p>Eva’s head swiveled to look over at Connie, “You ever think we’ll get through a day without wanting to slap that self-satisfied smirk off their faces?”</p><p>“Probably not.” She flipped the station again.</p><p>“Fuck them,” Eva pronounced, using both hands to flip the bird towards the windshield.</p><p>“Yeah,” Connie said as she pulled into Eva’s driveway. “Fuck them.”</p><p>
  <span>Eva got out and waved goodbye, agreeing that they’d do the class again the next day. She watched as Connie drove away and pulled into the </span>
  <span>parking spot of her own complex</span>
  <span>. </span>
  <span>When she stepped inside, she pulled her work clothes from her gym bag and held them to her face, inhaling. His scent was still on them, had lingered around her the whole day. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>T</span>
  <span>aking them to her bed room, she toed off her shoes and sat on the bed. Slowly, she rolled to one side, balling the fabric into her chest. </span>
  <span>Fuck, but he smelled good. She rubbed her face into the material of her shirt, remembering the feeling of him using his weight to keep her pushed into the wall. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>I</span>
  <span>f she hadn’t been so surprised, Eva might have touched him more. Might have ran her hands up and over his ridiculously wide shoulder</span>
  <span>s</span>
  <span> to his hair, mussing that perfect styling that he had even during the late office hours they worked. She might have held him still so that he couldn’t pull away from a kiss she fucking knew would be good. </span>
  <span>It wasn’t fair that he’d gotten a taste and she was still left wanting. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Turning to her stomach, Eva sighed against the comforter. She needed to get a plan together, but she was </span>
  <em>so bad</em>
  <span> at planning. Too impulsive, too impatient. </span>
  <span>And, at this point, too needy. Huffing, she pushed from the bed and made her way to the shower, stripping as she went. As the water pelted her tired muscles, she closed her eyes and slipped her hand down her stomach. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Despite being completely obliterated by the workout, Eva’s body responded sharply to the feeling of her fingers slipping through her folds. She circled her clit a few times, dipping down and inside. Since she’d been released </span>
  <span>from prison</span>
  <span>, Eva had a few one night stands here and there, refusing to see anyone more than once. </span>
  <span>And </span>
  <em>never</em>
  <span> had she approached or accepted a proposition from an alpha. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now, it was all she wanted, </span>
  <em>he</em>
  <span> was all she wanted. Her fingers swirled over her skin, the muscles clenching on nothing. Quickly, too quickly, the orgasm washed over her. She grit her teeth, the contractions bordering on pain. </span>
  <span>As it ebbed away, Eva turned off the water and grabbed a towel. She dried off, sitting on the edge of the tub. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her body still felt too tight for her skin. She was bone tired from the workout, but the arousal persisted even through the burn of her muscles and joints. Sighing, she dressed and flopped on the bed, forcing herself to stare at the ceiling until she eventually fell asleep. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They’re sitting at the bar again. Rather, they are sitting at a table at the bar again. It had been a hard day for almost everyone sitting there. Javier, Steve, and Carrillo had managed to thwart a production route at the cost of three men. Connie had watched a young mother die in childbirth, the baby barely alive. Eva had watched from the sidelines, feeling guilty that there wasn’t anything that she could do. So, she’d suggested a drink. One drink had turned into two, then three.</p><p>At present, Connie was standing at the juke box, looking for a selection. Eva was watching her look through the offerings, wondering if she should switch to water so that she could drive home.</p><p>“I’m telling you,” Steve said, banging his hand on the table, a wide smile on his face, “He literally pissed himself when we busted in. Tell him, Javi.”</p><p>Javier held up his hands, “I’m not in this argument, man.”</p><p>Rolling her eyes, Eva pointed a finger at Steve, “You’re telling me that some big bad--,” she looked at Carrillo, “What did he call them?”</p><p>“Sicario,” he prompted, bringing his glass to his mouth to hide the smirk.</p><p>“Thank you,” Eva said, waving her hand a little, “Peed himself because you put a gun on him.”</p><p>Steve leaned forward, “Yes, that is exactly what happened.”</p><p>“Bullshit!”</p><p>“I’m—hey, Connie, can you get us another round—I’m not lying!”</p><p>Eva shook her head, “No, nope. Didn’t happen like that. You got no witnesses to prove it.”</p><p>“Just because I don’t have a witness doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.”</p><p>“You made the assertion, Murphy, you’ve got the burden of proof.”</p><p>“Fuck off.”</p><p>“You fuck off,” Eva shot back, “All you agents walk around like you’re hot fucking stuff because you got a badge and a gun and the support of the US government, tellin’ tall tales to make yourselves look like John Wayne. I swear to God, if I have to hear one more dick measuring contest on the break room I will literally puke.”</p><p>Connie came back to the table, a tray full of...not beer. She set it down and Eva counted enough shots for each of them, a couple salt shakers, and some cut limes. <em>Oh, shit</em><span>. </span></p><p>“We have to go to work tomorrow, Connie,” Eva censured gently, despite taking the glass from Connie’s outstretched hand.</p><p>Connie scoffed, “Like you’ve never had a hangover before.”</p><p>Eva noticed Carrillo hadn’t taken one of the glasses. She leaned over, nudging him, “C’mon, you gotta do this, too.” When he balked, she picked up one of the glasses and held it in front of him, “We’re all in this shit together, Horacio.”</p><p>He stared at her for a moment before pulling his lips between his teeth, a reflexive movement he sometimes did when he was thinking. She wiggled the glass, smiling when he relented. The salt shakers went around to everyone and Eva licked the back of her hand between her thumb and forefinger, tapping a bit out.</p><p>“What should we toast to?” Connie asked.</p><p>“We’re toasting?” Eva asked with a laugh, “I didn’t know you could toast over tequila shots.”</p><p>Connie leveled a baleful glare at her and Eva rolled her eyes, holding the glass towards the center of the table, “Its your toast, man.”</p><p>“To catching one of the bad guys,” Javier announced.</p><p>That was good enough for the group. The glasses made a dull sound as they clinked them together. Eva licked the salt from her hand, threw back the shot, and stuck the lime in her mouth. She hadn’t had tequila in a long while, but the movements were still buried in her muscle memory. Salt, shot, lime. Glancing over, she caught Carrillo pulling the lime from his mouth, tongue catching juice that remained on his lips. She dropped her gaze, feeling her neck heat an a way that had nothing to do with the alcohol. It was becoming more and more difficult to keep her eyes off him, let alone her hands.</p><p>
  <span>To </span>
  <span>keep </span>
  <span>said hands busy, s</span>
  <span>he threw the rind onto the tray with the empty glasses </span>
  <span>just as Connie shot up, both hands in the air.</span>
</p><p>“Another!”</p><p>Eva could feel her brows hit her hairline, “Steve, is she like this every time she drinks tequila?”</p><p>“Yeah, pretty much.” He lit a cigarette, a smirk appearing beneath his mustache.</p><p>She watched Connie head for the bar, “Is she gonna be okay?”</p><p>“Until she wakes up tomorrow,” he laughed.</p><p>“Cool, cool.”</p><p>The song on the juke box ended and ‘Careless Whisper’ queued up, the saxophone out of place and yet Eva couldn’t imagine that Connie would choose a different tune. She turned from the bar with a wide smile, shots completely forgotten.</p><p>“I love this song. Stevie, come dance with me.”</p><p>And there they went, Connie dragging Steve to the dance floor which, surprisingly, had quite a few people on it. Eva watched them go, laughing.</p><p>“I can’t wait to tell her all about this later,” she said.</p><p>Javier snorted with contained laughter, “I should have brought a camera. I’m getting another drink, you want anything.”</p><p>Eva and Carrillo both waved him off and he headed for the bar.</p><p>“He’s right, we should have brought a camera,” Eva said as she gestured towards where Connie was spinning Steve, pulling him in for a dramatic dip.</p><p>“<span>We can always get the security footage from the owner,” Carrillo suggested </span><span>with half a smile</span><span>.</span></p><p>She looked at him, not quite believing, “You think he’d give it to us?”</p><p>
  <span>One of his brows lifted, </span>
  <span>“We’d have to pay him.”</span>
</p><p>“We could do that.” She thought about it for a minute, “Man, that would be comedy gold at the office Christmas party.”</p><p>Connie gave a little shimmy, hands on Steve’s shoulders as they swayed back and forth. He was acting like he was annoyed by it, but Eva had been around him long enough to know that he was secretly enjoying every second of his wife happily dancing after a hard day’s work.</p><p>Leaning forward, Eva took up her discarded beer, eyes catching on the bar. She leaned a little towards Horacio, gesturing with the bottle.</p><p>“Looks like Javier’s trying to close a deal.”</p><p>
  <span>He was talking with a pretty girl with long, curly hair. They were both smiling, she was touching his arm. Eva had heard some of his pick up lines, she wondered if he was actually using any of them. </span>
  <span>If so, he was sleeping alone tonight.</span>
</p><p>“He’s probably negotiating price.” When Eva looked to him in question, he shrugged, “She’s a sex worker.”</p><p>“No,” Eva gasped, looking the woman over to see how he could possibly know. “How can you tell?”</p><p>Horacio shrugged, “I see a lot of them in my line of work.”</p><p>“Oh?” Eva said with both brows raised.</p><p>He shot her a sarcastic look, “We arrest them from time to time. Most of them are informants.”</p><p>“<span>To you?”</span></p><p>He nodded.</p><p>“And you pay them?”</p><p>
  <span>He made a noncommittal sound, but the little roll of his neck gave her all the confirmation she needed. </span>
  <span>She opened her mouth to say something and thought better of it, shutting her jaw with a click.</span>
</p><p>His eyes narrowed, “What was that?”</p><p>“<span>Nothing,” Eva responded quickly, </span><span>sipping to distract herself</span><span>.</span></p><p>“<span>No,” he held up a finger, moving into her space a bit, “You were going to say something and you stopped. Why?”</span></p><p>She blinked, “It was an inside thought.”</p><p>
  <span>His brows drew together in confusion. </span>
  <span>She felt her cheeks heat, embarrassed that she’d actually said ‘inside thought’ for the first time since she was a kid—a concept that her parents had taught her before she’d learned to filter out the sentences that should not be uttered. </span>
</p><p>“Ah,” she stalled a little bit, not quite believing that she was going to say this out loud, “An inside thought is when you think a thought that should absolutely not be said on the outside. Like, ever.”</p><p>His head tilted to the side, “Tell me.”</p><p>“Oh, no,” she shook her head, “Absolutely not. Were you listening? Its an inside thought, its supposed to stay inside.”</p><p>“How do you know its an inside thought?”</p><p><span>Eva hesitated, </span><span>considering. She watched him </span><span>figure out</span><span> that he had an opening, his expression </span><span>opening</span> <span>up just a little bit. </span></p><p>“Because people are usually insulted by inside thoughts,” she offered lamely.</p><p>“And you think I’ll be insulted by it? Or, Javi?”</p><p>
  <span>She held her silence, pressing her lips together to keep from answering. He was a lot closer than was strictly necessary. Although the music was playing loudly, Eva felt herself zero in on him, focused on his every word </span>
  <span>and the shape of his mouth as he talked.</span>
</p><p>“<span>So,” he continued, “We’ve established that you’ve had a thought that you don’t think is appropriate and you feel I would be insulted by it.”</span></p><p>Eva wondered if this was how people felt when he was interrogating them, somewhere between helplessly drawn in and desperate to change the subject.</p><p>
  <span>She cocked her head to the side, “We’ve </span>
  <em>established</em>
  <span> nothing other than I had an inside thought and voice that they are </span>
  <em>typically</em>
  <span> insulting.”</span>
</p><p>“That’s a fine distinction,” he conceded turning a little in his chair to face her a bit more fully, “But, there’s only one way to really settle this. You have to tell me.”</p><p>
  <span>Eva ran her thumb </span>
  <span>over her brow, dropping her eyes to the side and breathing deep, “I was going to say … that I was surprised you had to pay them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>H</span>
  <span>e paused, then, “Why is that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was having a hard time breathing, but she couldn’t </span>
  <span>stop herself from saying, “Because, if it were me, I’d probably just tell you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Whatever he might have said after that was cut off by Connie sliding into her chair with a high pitched giggle. She was sweating a little, leaning hard into her husband with a wide smile. </span>
  <span>She looked happy. Eva smiled at her, saluting with her beer.</span>
</p><p>“Nice moves, sweetie.”</p><p>“Ah, thank you! I bought, like, ten songs, so we’ll be getting back to it soon.”</p><p>As if on cue, the song changed and “We Built this City” started up. Eva shook her head, her attention snagging on Javier at the bar. Another man had walked up and he was arguing with him, tongue rolling across the front of his teeth. He looked pissed.</p><p>Carrillo noticed her attention straying and she felt him tense a little next to her. A few more guys had walked up.</p><p>“Aw, shit,” she said, already moving to stand as the fight broke out.</p><p>Glass shattered, and Eva circled around Carrillo to where Connie was sitting, pulling the woman with her over and down towards the bar. She could hear voices screaming and the sound to flesh hitting flesh. Without much care, she shoved Connie into the space between the bar and the wall, holding up a finger and leveling a determined look at her.</p><p>“You don’t move,” she said. “Not an inch.”</p><p>
  <em>You say you don’t know me, or recognize my face.</em>
</p><p>
  <span>A hand grabbed Eva’s ankle and she yelped as she was dragged out into the fray. The man was average size and weight, but he had the jump on her. He climbed over her body and had his hands around her throat before she could </span>
  <span>get her bearings. Eva threw both hands out and into his shoulders, balancing his weight while she tucked her knees into her chest. Her hips shimmied and she was able to get her heels up. She kicked. Hard.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As hard and as fast as she could, Eva kicked him in the face until he let go of her neck. And then, she grabbed his wrists </span>
  <span>to keep him there</span>
  <span> and kept kicking until there was so much blood that it looked like a mask of red had settled over him. With a grunt, she shoved him to the side, wheezing and touching her neck gingerly. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>Too many runaways eating up the night</em>
</p><p>
  <span>Across the room, Javier was holding a guy down while Steve gave him a vicious kick. Not far away Carrillo was dodging a punch, throwing a hard uppercut and catching the guy beneath the chin. </span>
  <span>His opponent’s</span>
  <span> head </span>
  <span>flew</span>
  <span> back with such force that Eva was kind of surprised that it was still connected. He fell to the floor, unconscious.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eva caught his eye and she gave a little wave, seeing his eyes flick to her right a little too late. A man wrapped both arms around her chest, caging her arms in. Carrillo’s eyes narrowed and he was moving towards her. Eva yelled and </span>
  <span>swung</span>
  <span> both legs out in front of her </span>
  <span>to mid air</span>
  <span>. The man struggled under the sudden weight of her body. Bend, snap, roll the shoulder. He fell over her arm to the floor, winded. She used the palm of her hand to hit at his exposed throat, satisfied when he choked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And then he was right there with her, his scent sharp with the exertion, his hands carefully running over her arms to check for injury. </span>
  <span>Eva couldn’t help but to smile, a little dazed.</span>
</p><p>“You good?”</p><p>“Yeah,” she breathed, pushing the hair from her face. “Oh, fuck!”</p><p>
  <span>One of the idiots had pulled a gun. And, while she knew he was armed, Eva couldn’t stop the automatic response that kicked in. She shoved Carrillo down behind an up ended table as </span>
  <span>t</span>
  <span>he shots rang out. Curling over him, Eva covered her head, eyes squeezed shut.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>We built this city, we built this city on rock and roll.</em>
</p><p>A few more shots and he was rolling her into the wood of the table, rising up on a knee and pulling his pistol. Eva plugged her fingers into her ears, feeling his body sway a bit with the recoil.</p><p>
  <em>We just want to dance here. Someone stole the stage.</em>
</p><p>His hands slammed down on the floor as he ducked down. The table behind her scooted forward as a shot ricocheted into the far end, exposing him.</p><p>“Horacio,” she yelled, grabbing his polo shirt and pulling him back and into her chest.</p><p>The movement set him off balance and his full weight collapsed on her, pushing all the air out of her lungs. Another shot, another screech as the table moved. Horacio pushed to his knees again, firing off another shot. Eva looked around for something they could use that would be better cover. There was literally nothing.</p><p>
  <em>Marconi played the mambo, listen to the radio</em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And then she saw it, an unbroken bottle had rolled from somewhere in the bar, right next to a </span>
  <span>discarded </span>
  <span>bar towel. Perfect. </span>
</p><p>“Cover me,” she yelled upwards, already crawling the few feet out to it.</p><p>Horacio cursed a blue streak, firing off a few rounds as she shuffled back to him, “The fuck are you doing?”</p><p>“<span>Give me your lighter,” she demanded, opening the bottle and shoving the towel inside </span><span>with two fingers</span><span>.</span></p><p>To his credit, he hesitated only a fraction of a second before he was digging into the pocket of his khakis and handing her a silver Zippo.</p><p>“Thank you,” Eva said primly as she tipped the bottle over a bit to soak the towel.</p><p>
  <em>We built this city. We built this city on rock and roll.</em>
</p><p>
  <span>Getting to her knees, Eva looked at Horacio, who was eyeing both her and the bottle </span>
  <span>with a look a clear and unadulterated delight. </span>
  <span>She really, really liked when he smiled.</span>
</p><p>“Bottom’s up!”</p><p>And then she tossed it in the direction of the people shooting at them, smiling wide when it hit the mark. Fire burst forth, giving Javier and Steve enough of a distraction that they could get a clear shot.</p><p>
  <em>Who rides the wrecking ball into our guitars?</em>
</p><p>Eva knelt on the floor, watching over the rim of the table as they went person by person, disarming the ones that were still alive. Eventually, Horacio stood up and she followed suit, moving to check on Connie.</p><p>She looked pissed, “I was having a good fucking time and <em>these assholes…” </em>She sighed deeply.</p><p>“I know,” Eva agreed, “Next time we do this at your place. Less chance of gunfire there.”</p><p>“<span>Tell me about it.”</span></p><p>
  <em>We built this city.</em>
</p><p>It took an hour or two for the boys to clean up the mess, cuff a few people, and clear the scene. Eva sat with Connie at the bar, drinking coffee and watching them work.</p><p>“<span>I saw what you did there with that guy,” Connie commented, leaning one elbow on the bar, “How did you learn all that...self defense stuff.”</span></p><p>Eva shrugged, “After my marriage ended I thought it would be good to learn a few things, just in case.”</p><p>Connie didn’t need to know that she’d learned it in case one of her husband’s family members decided to get vengeance.</p><p>“Divorce?”</p><p>“Death,” Eva clarified.</p><p>“I’m sorry.”</p><p>“Don’t be, it was the best thing for everyone involved.”</p><p>Connie laughed a little, “Even your husband?”</p><p>“Especially my husband,” Eva confirmed with a smile. “Real asshole, let me tell you.”</p><p>Eyes following her husband across the room, Connie asked, “He cheat on you.”</p><p>“Worse,” Eva answered, her good mood evaporating.</p><p>She closed her eyes and ran a hand over her face, working to right herself. She was saved by Javier approaching, a little saunter in his walk.</p><p>“The owner has agreed not to press charges for the fire setting.”</p><p>Scoffing, Eva snipped, “What’s a little fire to bullet holes?”</p><p>There were several lining the walls. Almost every piece of furniture not nailed down to the floor was either overturned or broken entirely. The table she’d been hiding behind with Horacio had splinters up and down it. If she hadn’t thrown the bottle, the next round of bullets might have gotten through the wood to the other side.</p><p>“If anything, this’ll make this place more popular,” he said, tapping out a cigarette and lighting it.</p><p>Eva sighed, “Did you have to start the fight?”</p><p>He looked at her, “I didn’t start it.”</p><p>She rolled her eyes, “I’ve known you for like three months. You started it. I don’t know why, but you started it.”</p><p>Connie had the good grace to lift her brows and spin a little on her bar stool, sipping her coffee. Javier took a drag and shrugged.</p><p>“Right,” Eva said, hopping down. She waved to Connie, “See you at next week’s class.”</p><p>
  <span>She grabbed her purse and headed for the exit, more tired than she cared to admit. </span>
  <span>So tired, in fact, she didn’t notice that Carrillo had followed her out.</span>
</p><p>“Do you ever park closer to where you’re going?”</p><p>
  <span>Eva jumped, hands coming up in front of her. When she recognized him, she laughed a little, “Sorry, wasn’t paying attention. </span>
  <span>And, to answer your question: I like the longer walk. Gives me time to, I don’t know, settle myself.”</span>
</p><p>He nodded, “Maybe consider parking a little closer when you know you’ll be staying after sundown. Might be safer.”</p><p>At this Eva shot him a bemused look, “I think you either shit canned or shot anyone who’d give me trouble.”</p><p>He put his hands in his pockets as he walked with her, “You’re the one who set them on fire.”</p><p>
  <span>She gave him a deferential nod, rolling one shoulder, “You may have a point. But, I’d argue that my actions were justified, given that </span>
  <em>they</em>
  <span> were shooting at us. I mean, I haven’t been here long, but I’m pretty sure the cultural differences aren’t so dissimilar that—were I to be fired upon, I could be </span>
  <span>forgiven for returning fire.”</span>
</p><p>They’d reached her car, and she opened the driver’s door, throwing her purse in the passenger’s seat before turning to look at him. He was just… staring at her, hands in his pockets, looking mystified.</p><p>“<span>What?”</span></p><p>
  <span>He took a breath, “</span>
  <span>You took one look at that gun and threw me down to cover me.”</span>
</p><p>Eva paused, going over the memory a bit and agreeing with him, “Yeah, I did.”</p><p>“Don’t do that.”</p><p>“Don’t save your life?”</p><p>He stepped into her space, “You save yourself. Let me take care of me.”</p><p>“I make absolutely no promises, Carrillo.”</p><p>
  <span>Slowly, to give her time to know what he was doing, he curled a finger beneath her chin, “You do that when you’re trying to </span>
  <span>deflect, use my last name.”</span>
</p><p>In the moment, she hated him a little. It had taken years to develop her defense mechanisms so that she could function normally with people. A joke here, a little sarcasm there. Just enough to keep them at a distance. And, here he was, seeing through her bullshit.</p><p>“<span>You are frustrating,” Eva said without any bite.</span></p><p>
  <span>He </span>
  <span>smiled</span>
  <span>, “I’ve been told that.”</span>
</p><p>“<span>Did they also tell you that you have the cutest little dimples when you smile?</span><span>”</span></p><p>
  <span>The laugh that followed was surprised and Eva was gratified to see that he was blushing. </span>
  <span>She curled a hand over the arm still holding onto her, fingers curling over his bicep.</span>
</p><p>“No, no one has told me that,” he said after he’d gathered himself.</p><p>She considered it, “That’s a shame.”</p><p>“Is it?”</p><p>They’d moved closer together. Eva could feel the heat from his body, the smell of him that she liked so much tinged with sweat and smoke.</p><p>She settled against the side of the car, “Damn shame.”</p><p>He ran the back of his fingers over her cheek, considering, “I’ll take your word for it.”</p><p>“<span>See that you do.”</span></p><p>
  <span>Horacio made a soft sound of assent, leaning down to press a soft, tentative kiss to her mouth. </span>
  <span>He pulled back, but not far, dipping down again for another soft kiss that was entirely too short. </span>
  <span>Eva’s every breath was filled with him, her skin alight. She leaned up, </span>
  <span>taking the kiss she wanted. Deeper, harder. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hands gripping both her hips, he pushed her into the car, his weight preventing escape—not that she particularly wanted to move. </span>
  <span>The feeling of being held almost immobile and kissed senseless was </span>
  <span>delicious in a way that made her toes curl. </span>
  <span>She clung to him, inviting more kisses, more touches—just </span>
  <em>more</em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p>He was the first to break away, breathing hard, “Get in the car.”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>He shook his head as if to clear it, “Get in the car before I drag you to my truck and take you home with me.”</p><p>She smirked, “You probably wouldn’t have to drag me.”</p><p>He leveled a serious look at her, “Car. In.”</p><p>“Sure thing, Big Guy,” she said, sliding into the seat. “See you at the office.”</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Do you think we could have chosen a place that wasn’t right next to a fire?” Eva asked as they sat.</p><p>The restaurant across the street was ablaze, lending heat to the already hot day. The smell permeated almost everything, dark acrid smoke.</p><p>Connie rolled her eyes, “Do you want to go somewhere else?”</p><p>They’d gone back and forth for half an hour before finally settling on a restaurant, Eva had no intention of choosing again. This was fine. The doors were closed and it the air was on.</p><p>“I’m good,” she pronounced with a smile.</p><p>“Okay,” Connie replied as she opened the menu, “There’s a new class at the gym next week. You want to try it?”</p><p>Eva scanned the menu, trying to find something light as she wasn’t that hungry, “What kind of class?”</p><p>“Hot yoga.”</p><p>Looking at Connie from over the menu, Eva lifted a brow, “What the fuck is that?”</p><p>“Its yoga,” Connie explained, “But, hot.”</p><p>Eva was skeptical, “Hot as in temperature?”</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>“Isn’t it hot enough outside?”</p><p>Eva had yet to acclimate fully to weather in Colombia. Louisiana was hot and humid, especially in the summer, but this was an entirely different, unrelenting feeling of walking through a wet blanket at all times. She’d taken to rubbing her thighs with deodorant just to keep from chafing.</p><p>“Well, yeah, but this would be a dry heat.”</p><p>“Oh, a dry heat. As opposed to the one hundred percent humidity outside of the air conditioning.”</p><p>“Exactly.”</p><p>Eva considered it, “Sure, what the hell—that was not meant to be a pun.”</p><p>Connie laughed a little as she turned a page of the menu, “Pun excused.”</p><p>Sirens blared from the street, the fire department had showed up to deal with the fire. Eva watched as they got the hoses out and connected them to the nearest hydrant. Soon enough, steam was billowing from the windows, the fire doused. She noticed a few police vehicles pulling up and forced herself not to look through the window for a specific ambling gait.</p><p>Eva set the menu aside, “Is Steve still picking us up?”</p><p>They’d gone shopping at a local market, taking time to mosey through the little boutiques. Eva hadn’t found anything she wanted, but Connie had picked up a cute little ceramic cat that reminded her of the one she’d recently lost. Eva had taken one look at the woman’s face and knew not to ask for specifics. As it was, Eva was glad she’d forgone a purse that day, choosing to keep her key and some cash in her pocket instead. She couldn’t take any more weight on her body than her light t-shirt and shorts.</p><p>Connie nodded, “Yeah, he’s on his way. Should be here before we get done eating.”</p><p>“That fast?”</p><p>She shrugged, “He’s ready to get this weekend started, I think.”</p><p>“Anything special planned?” Eva asked, folding her arms in front of her.</p><p>She had no social life to speak of, outside of the occasional night drinking with her coworkers. Although she’d picked up a few phrases, the language barrier kept her from really connecting with anyone outside of work. She lived vicariously through the people around her, which suited her fine. Her life had, had enough excitement for her taste.</p><p>Connie considered it, “I’m thinking we spend two days in bad.”</p><p>“Sounds like the perfect weekend to me. You’re lucky to have a husband to spend it with.”</p><p>Shrugging, Connie said, “I have a good husband. It’d be different if he wasn’t.”</p><p>“That is true,” Eva agreed, “Doesn’t matter how good the weekend is if you’re stuck with a bad partner.”</p><p>“Can I ask,” Connie started, looking tentative. “How did your husband die?”</p><p>“He was murdered,” Eva answered evenly, carefully avoiding Connie’s gaze.</p><p>“I’m sorry—sorry, I know you said it was good thing.”</p><p>Eva swallowed, “Yeah, it was. Especially since I’m the one who did it.”</p><p>She let that sit for a while, watching at Connie processed it, “Did he deserve it?”</p><p>“Yeah, he did,” Eva hated the way her voice cracked. She cleared her throat and focused on the approaching waitress.</p><p>They ordered, and while they waited for their meals, they sipped overpriced cocktails and Eva noticed a man walking in with a leather bag. It was medium sized, non-descript, and she dismissed it immediately—except, a few moments later, another man walked in with a similar bag. The letter “E” was embroidered on it in brightly colored thread. It was fabric this time, but nearly the same size, held in the same way. Down and to the side, heavy. They didn’t sit together. In fact, they didn’t even look at one another. Eva might not have even noticed if they weren’t white, hair slicked back from their face. Even from a distance, she could hear that they spoke English. Odd.</p><p>Eva tried to focus on the conversation, but found her eyes drifting to the side, eyeing them. One had a cup of coffee, the other a beer. No food for either. And, after paying their checks (about five minutes apart), they both left their bags underneath the table, tucked into the wall. A kind of desperate panic rose up and slapped her hard across the face. She’d seen this before.</p><p>“Connie,” Eva said lowly, grabbing the woman’s arm. “Listen to me.”</p><p>“What is it?”</p><p>Eva shushed her, holding up a hand, “Listen, stand up. Slowly. Leave, right now. Move quickly, but do not stop. Do you understand?”</p><p>Connie’s eyes were wide, but she nodded. “What about you?”</p><p>“Right behind you. I’m going to be right behind you.”</p><p>Eva felt her body shake a little as she stood, but she turned Connie by the shoulders and gave her a little shove towards the door. And, she was right behind her, until she wasn’t. One of the waiters grabbed her arm, probably thinking that they were running out on the bill.</p><p>In her periphery, Eva saw Connie’s step slow, she shooed her away, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”</p><p>She kept moving towards the exit, but another waiter was approaching. Eva was going to have to act quickly. She apologized again and stepped into the waiter’s space, turning so that she could tap the elbow of her trapped arm with the elbow of the arm holding her. It worked like it had a million times before and the waiter’s grip broke despite his attempts to keep her with him.</p><p>Eva bolted. The sound of yelling and more sirens seemed to dim as she felt tears form in her eyes, pushing through the doors to the street. Though she was relieved to be outside, she wasn’t far enough away for the fear to even begin to dissipate.</p><p>Connie was standing on the other side of the street. She could see Steve’s car pull up, he looked worried as he stepped out. Eva’s feet slapped the pavement, she stumbled as she leaped off the curb and kept running. Arms out to her sides as she regained her balance.</p><p>She made it halfway across the street when the explosion burst forth from behind her. The force of it hit her square in the back with heat and pressure. Eva hit the ground, catching herself on her hands. Her ears were ringing as she tried to stand, failed, and fell back down. She let her forehead touch the asphalt as she tried to collect herself. She couldn’t get a full breath.</p><p>
  <em>Just one explosion</em>
  <span>, she thought. </span>
  <em>Two bags, one explosion.</em>
</p><p>
  <span>Eva heard her name and hands landed on her back, turning her over so that she sat on her hip, knees tucked underneath her. </span>
  <span>A familiar face hovered in her blurred vision.</span>
</p><p>“Horacio?”</p><p>He cupped her face, “Are you alright?”</p><p>
  <span>She stared, </span>
  <span>“What are you doing here?”</span>
</p><p>“We thought the fire might be arson,” he said, then, “Are you okay?”</p><p>
  <span>She nodded </span>
  <span>even though she really didn’t know</span>
  <span>, “I’m good.”</span>
</p><p>Eyes scanning her body, he gave one curt nod and helped her to her feet, “I’m going to check on survivors.”</p><p>He got about three steps away before she was calling his name and grabbing at his arm, “Don’t. Don’t go in there.”</p><p>“<span>It will be fine, just stay here,” </span><span>he assured her in a tone she knew he used with victims. She immediately hated it.</span></p><p>
  <span>Angry, </span>
  <span>Eva reached up and gripped both of his shoulders, “No, there are two. There are </span>
  <em>two.</em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>She had to get him to see that it wasn’t over. She had to make him believe her. Two bags. Two bombs.</p><p>He looked her in the eyes, hands falling naturally to her hips, “Two?”</p><p>
  <span>And that’s when the second bomb went off. </span>
  <span>They were closer than Eva had been when the first one detonated, and it sent both of them to the ground. Eva hit hard, the back of her head aching sharply. </span>
  <span>Horacio landed on top of her, knocking the air from her lungs.</span>
  <span> She felt her entire body go a limp and she couldn’t open her eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>C</span>
  <span>arrillo recovered much faster than she did. He lifted to all fours, his expression concerned as he touched her face. Eva blinked up at him, the smoke from the fire on either side of the street almost blanketing out the sky above. </span>
  <span>Mouth thin, he</span>
  <span> looked up, calling for a medic.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>More sirens, more yelling, more noise. Eva eventually got to standing, though she leaned almost all of her weight on him as he led her to the back of a van, both d</span>
  <span>oors open. He sat her down and barked orders. A blanket was wrapped around her and her vision blurred a little. She groaned.</span>
</p><p>“Hey,” he said, forcing her to look at him, “Sit here. I’m going to check on the others. Don’t move, and don’t fall asleep.”</p><p>
  <span>She nodded and leaned her head on her hands. And then he was gone, and she was left sitting for a long time. Workers came and went, though they mostly left her alone. She glanced behind her, the van was empty, save for a few medical supplies. </span>
  <span>Shuffling, she leaned her head to the side. </span>
  <span>Her body hurt all over. There wasn’t a position she could find that felt even remotely comfortable.</span>
</p><p>“You okay?”</p><p>
  <span>Eva </span>
  <span>flinched, then righted herself</span>
  <span>, “Hey Connie. I’m good. Just a little disoriented.”</span>
</p><p>Connie seemed to hesitate, “How did you know?”</p><p>She thought about it, thought about saying the unmitigated truth. Thought about it and decided against it.</p><p>“<span>I didn’t,” Eva replied </span><span>eventually</span><span>. “It was a gut thing.”</span></p><p>“Your gut saved my life.”</p><p>
  <span>Eva looked up at her </span>
  <span>with a smile that was tired</span>
  <span>, “What are friends for?”</span>
</p><p>Connie looked a little bit like she would cry, Eva reached up and patted her arm, saying, “Go. Start your weekend. I’ll be fine.”</p><p>“You’re sure.”</p><p>“Yeah, got a blanket and everything.”</p><p>
  <span>Connie looked unsure, but she shooed her away. </span>
  <span>There was nothing Connie could do that Eva couldn’t do for herself, except maybe get her some decent pain killers. Eva had a few stashed away at her apartment. She thought she might be okay, could always ask later.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The longer Eva sat, the more tired she became, until she gave up and curled on her side </span>
  <span>on the floor of the van</span>
  <span>, pulling the blanket over her body. She wasn’t sure how long she was asleep, but </span>
  <span>too soon</span>
  <span> hands were shaking her roughly. </span>
  <span>She grumbled, fighting to stay unconscious. Her head hurt and she was so damn tired.</span>
</p><p>“Eva,” called a voice. She ignored it.</p><p>
  <span>More shaking. </span>
  <span>Her name was called again, but she kept her eyes firmly closed. Arms wrapped around her middle and pulled her upright. Her head lolled forward </span>
  <span>into a chest that smelled like comfort and safety</span>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p>“Evangeline.”</p><p>
  <span>She breathed deep, </span>
  <span>immediately recognizing the scent. Eva wanted to obey, but her body was too tired and her brain couldn’t keep up.</span>
</p><p>He pressed his mouth just under her ear, speaking directly into the sensitive skin, “Wake up. Right now.”</p><p>Eva had once read that, when an alpha gave a direct order, omegas had no choice but to obey. She’d always believed it was complete bullshit right up until that moment. Her eyes flew open and her spine straightened, hands coming up to land on either side of his neck. He lifted his head to look her in the eyes, relieved.</p><p>“You’re going to the hospital.”</p><p>
  <span>Eva started to shake her head, but he was already calling out to the driver, reaching down to lift her by the back of her thighs. He pushed up and in, not bothering to worry about getting her into a proper seat. Crawling in after her, Carrillo closed the back doors. Eva leaned back on her palms, trying to catch up. </span>
  <span>Her mind a honey slow and muddy.</span>
</p><p>“I’m fine,” she said eventually.</p><p>He glared at her, “You’re concussed.”</p><p>“Am not.” She knew exactly what a concussion felt like.</p><p>
  <span>He opened his mouth to answer, then seemed to think better of it. Instead, he leaned against the back seat and pulled her to sit between his legs, her back laying against his chest. She went willingly, glad the for warmth of his arms, the feeling better than the blanket. When her eyes closed again, he gave her thigh a little tap, </span>
  <span>barely anything that could be considered a slap</span>
  <span>. </span>
  <span>It made her jump, the contact sharp.</span>
  <span> She huffed, earning herself a chuckle.</span>
</p><p>“<span>Stay awake.”</span></p><p>“Make me.”</p><p>She didn’t know why she said it, just that it had popped into her mind and out of her mouth almost as fast as the thought had formed. She didn’t even have the energy to feel bad about it.</p><p>With little preamble, he reached down and slipped an arm underneath her thighs, swinging them over one leg. The move made her a little dizzy and she had to lay her head on his chest so keep her bearings. Beneath her ear, his heart thudded, a little too quick for him to be calm.</p><p>“Its a half hour to the hospital,” he told her, pushing her hair from her face. “You need to stay with me.”</p><p>“’m tired,” she whined, trying to curl in on herself.</p><p>Making a soft noise of censure, Horacio tipped her head back so that they were nose to nose, “I know you’re tired, but you’re going to do as you’re told. Understood?”</p><p>
  <span>Eva blinked lazily up at him long enough that he repeated the question. </span>
  <span>She nodded despite her eyes drooping again.</span>
</p><p>“How did you know that there were two bombs?”</p><p>
  <span>T</span>
  <span>he question surprised her a little, though she absolutely should have expected it, given who she was talking to.</span>
</p><p>She sighed, “Saw them.”</p><p>“Did you see who put them there?”</p><p>
  <span>She hummed in the affirmative. </span>
  <span>One hand came up to play with a button on his shirt, thumb circling the circumference.</span>
</p><p>“Would you know it if you saw them again?”</p><p>“I have no idea.”</p><p>He grasped her hand, threading their fingers together and squeezing, “What did they look like?”</p><p>“They looked like regular dudes.” When he scoffed, she continued, “They looked like generic, mid-thirties guys. No tattoos, no distinctive features. Just...people. I wouldn’t have even figured it out if they hadn’t carried the bags in so weird.”</p><p>
  <span>His dark brows drew together and she immediately wanted to run the pad of one finger over the little crease between them,</span>
  <span>“Weird how?”</span>
</p><p>“Like they were carrying a bomb.”</p><p>He was silent for a while, and Eva relaxed against him, listening to his heart and lulled by the motion of the car. Every once in a while, the driver would say something and he would respond in kind, his voice vibrating through her side.</p><p>“<span>You saved my life.”</span></p><p>
  <span>I</span>
  <span>t was the second time that day she’d been told that. She’d saved three lives if she included her own. But, she hadn’t saved anyone else in that restaurant—hadn’t even thought about it until that moment. She pushed down the guilt for a time when she wasn’t so tired.</span>
</p><p>Eva shook her head, “Nah, you would have survived it. You weren’t that close.”</p><p>It was his turn to shake his head. He looked down at her meaningfully, “I would not.”</p><p>Patting his chest, she simply said, “You would have. You’re always going to be fine.”</p><p>“<span>Eva,” he breathed, eyes filled with something she couldn’t quite place. </span><span>Gratitude, maybe.</span></p><p>
  <span>I </span>
  <span>n response, she nuzzled her nose into the crook of his neck, finally indulging the in the act of drowning herself in his scent. Eva hadn’t had a home since she’d been married off, but fuck if he didn’t smell like home to her. Later, she might blame what she did next on the </span>
  <span>(non-existent) </span>
  <span>concussion. But, at the end of it, she just did what she had been wanting to do since she’d first sat down </span>
  <span>across from</span>
  <span> him </span>
  <span>in that conference room—since she’d first sat down in that terrible office chair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bringing one hand up </span>
  <span>to </span>
  <span>brace against his chest, she shifted just a bit to get the angle right and kissed him right over the gland where his scent was strongest. </span>
  <span>Adrenaline had pushed more of that delicious smell to the surface and she</span>
  <em> needed</em>
  <span> to take a little of that into herself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It wasn’t a particularly practiced kiss, just the touch of her mouth to soft, fragrant skin.</span>
  <span> His response was immediate, a tightening of his arms to keep her close as he turned his head to give her more access. </span>
  <span>A little growl that he cut off too quick sounded. </span>
  <span> Eva paused just a moment, her mouth hovering over his skin as she watched him swallow hard, </span>
  <span>waiting</span>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then, very carefully, she did it again. And again, each kiss just a little deeper than the last until she parted her lips and ran her tongue over </span>
  <span>it</span>
  <span>, drawing in the taste. He breathed her name and she reveled in how desperate he sounded, how his grip had tightened </span>
  <span>even more </span>
  <span>around her. Beneath her hand, his heart was pounding, his chest heaving as he drew in short, staccato breaths. </span>
  <span>A warm feeling of power coursed through her, encouraging her to keep going.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nimble fingers slipped into his hair and she held him still so that she could keep tasting him, feeling a little drunk with it. Eva wanted to draw that taste deep into her so that she could have it even when they weren’t together, wanted to make sure that she wouldn’t lose it the second they parted. </span>
  <span>It was sweet and a little salty with his sweat, rolling around on her tongue and filling her senses to overflowing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Groaning, Horacio pulled her from him, his lips finding hers. He kissed her roughly, a small punishment for the feelings she was evoking. </span>
  <span>It was all teeth and tongue, a biting, sucking, assault that she welcomed. Eva held tight to him, wishing he would give her just a little room to move so that she could swing one leg over his hips to bring them closer together.</span>
  <span> Too soon, he was drawing away, holding her steady when she went to follow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He caught her eye, smiling in a way that showed those adorable dimples,</span>
  <span>“We’re about five minutes away. I need to be able to walk out of this van, Eva.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She took his meaning and nodded, working to calm her breathing. Hugging her close, Horacio kissed the top of her head as the</span>
  <span>y neared their destination. Eva </span>
  <span>let him bear the full weight of her body, too comfortable to try move. He gripped her around the waist with one arm, his other arm over her legs, hand folded over the back of her thigh to keep her curled into his body, as close as they could be in that moment.</span>
</p><p>The hospital was pretty standard. She’d been to enough of them to know. Eva was checked out in quick order. By some miracle, she was not concussed. However, they were quick to let her know that she needed to monitor her symptoms and come back if she began to feel worse. They hadn’t let him back with her, but Horacio was waiting for her when she was wheeled out.</p><p>He looked out of place in his uniform among the other families, but the worried look on his face was right at home. She smiled at him, thanking the nurse.</p><p>“I had one of my men bring my truck. Did you drive to the restaurant?”</p><p>She shook her head, “Connie and I took a cab. Steve was supposed to pick us up.”</p><p>He helped her into the passenger’s seat, “I’ll take you home, then.”</p><p>Carrillo didn’t ask for her address, just started on the route. Eva should have guessed that he’d looked up her details the second they’d met, but she hadn’t really thought about it. He drove through the city with confidence, not once asking her for directions. She dozed a little bit, and he turned down the radio, letting her rest.</p><p>They were at her apartment building far too fast, and then he was cutting the engine and circling around to help her out of the truck. She wobbled a bit on her feet and he placed an arm around her waist, guiding her. Wordlessly, he slipped a hand into her pocket, pulled out a few bills and the key to her unit. She watched him with a smile, unabashedly entertained that he was just...doing. He didn’t ask, he didn’t prompt, he just did it—got her to the hospital, got her home.</p><p>Inside, he set her key and cash on coffee table and helped her to sit down on the couch.</p><p>“You stay here. I’ll be right back.”</p><p>He disappeared for moment or two, and she could hear movement down the hall. Eva leaned back into the cushions and relaxed a bit. It occurred to her that she should be at least a little concerned that a man was possibly going through her things, but she just...wasn’t. It could have been the near death experience, or it could be that she didn’t have the mental energy—didn’t really matter. She was comfy, let him do what he wanted.</p><p>His boots stopped in front of her, Eva lifted her eyes to see him leaning down and reaching for her hands. Horacio helped her to stand and guided her further into the apartment, down the hall, to her bedroom. He’d turned on the lamp on her nightstand, the warm glow welcome.</p><p>“Oh, my God,” she breathed when she caught sight of the bed.</p><p>
  <span>It was piled with every blanket she owned, probably pulled from the closet. </span>
  <span>He arranged several spare pillows in a semi circle, made a little indention in the center of it all so that she could fall right into it.</span>
</p><p>“You made me a nest,” Eva said as he helped her to sit on the edge of the bed.</p><p>Horacio looked up at her, kneeling to pull the laces of her shoes and slip them from her feet, “You’ve been through some trauma. You’re going to need to rest.”</p><p>“You made me a nest,” she repeated, a little incredulous.</p><p>He nodded, tugging off her socks and rolling them up to tuck into her empty shoes.</p><p>
  <span>Eva placed both hands on his shoulders, asking him without words to look at her. When he did, she could see just the tiniest bit of apprehension there. She instinctively new he was a little worried he’d overstepped. </span>
  <span>This was the opposite of the truth. No one, </span>
  <em>no one</em>
  <span>, had ever made a nest for her before. She’d always had to build them herself when she needed to, feeling ashamed the she could barely function when that time of her cycle came. And, he’d just gone on and made one for her, knowing that she would need it, anticipating the need and fulfilling it.</span>
</p><p>“Thank you.”</p><p>There weren’t words for what she was feeling, this intense, awed affection for him that was only partly instigated by her gratitude. In that moment, she vowed she would return this favor one day, that she would square their books when he was in need.</p><p>Horacio ran a hand from her ankle to knee, thumb drawing a circle on the outside of it, “You are welcome.”</p><p>
  <span>Unable to stand it any longer, Eva leaned over and kissed him. She had no other way of conveying what she was feeling. He returned the kiss and she could feel him smiling into it. </span>
  <span>Eva moved with him as he rose, his hands resting on either side of her body.</span>
</p><p>“Get in the nest, Eva.”</p><p>Shimmying a little, she backed into the space he’d made for her, one hand holding onto his uniform to keep him near enough that she could press soft slow kisses to his lips. He followed, hands walking next to her a few inches at a time until his frame could no longer stretch long enough to meet her.</p><p>Eva dropped against the pillows, but kept her grip on his shirt. When he didn’t move to join her, she gave a little encouraging tug.</p><p>Horacio shook his head, “You need rest. You won’t get that if I get in there with you.”</p><p>Although the words were matter of fact, there was heat behind them. There was want in his eyes, rolling off his body in waves. Eva shivered, and reluctantly released him. Sighing, he pulled blanket after blanket over her, cossetting her completely. She was warm and comfortable in a way that she hadn’t been in a long time and her eyelids drooped as she began to drift.</p><p>“I will call to check on you tomorrow.”</p><p>She nodded and watched him turn off the light, casting the room in the orange pink of the setting sun. Then, he turned and headed for the door, taking one last glance at her before he turned the corner into the hallway. A moment later, the click of her lock turned sounded in the quiet of the apartment.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>True to his word, Carrillo had called her the next day, asked how she was doing. Eva was barely coherent, but she’d told him that she was okay and he’d let her get back to sleep. To her surprise, he’d called again on Sunday evening, asking if she felt better and if she had eaten. She had, but only a little.</p><p>
  <em>Why don’t you take a hot bath</em>
  <span>, he’d prompted gently. </span>
  <em>You’ll feel better.</em>
</p><p>
  <span>She did. And, she </span>
  <em>had</em>
  <span> felt better. By Monday morning, she was able to pull herself out of bed and head into the office. Although still sleepy, she felt more rested than she had in possibly years. Thinking back, Eva could not remember the last time a nesting period had been so fulfilling, or helpful. Though she was on the upswing, Eva had left the pillows and blankets in place. She could snuggle in them a little longer that night, before the need left her completely.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As her desk, she gathered a new stack of files, </span>
  <span>flipping through the one on top. It was the death of the informant she’d taken a look at. Eva paused, wondering if she should even read the file. She decided it would look worse if she didn’t. With a sigh, she </span>
  <span>began reading the first page. And then, the next page. And then she was moving back and forth between reports.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>T</span>
  <span>here was a page missing. She thumbed through it, looking to see if it had been collated incorrectly. It hadn’t. </span>
  <span>Javier had told her about a tattoo on the victim—it wasn’t included on the pages in front of her.</span>
  <span> Humming, she stood and went to the records room to see if it had slipped out in transit. It was there that Steve found her.</span>
</p><p>“Good, you’re here.”</p><p>Eva lifted her brows in question, refiling the folder in her hand.</p><p>“<span>Javier asked me to find you and send you to </span><span>help him at the church.”</span></p><p>She laughed, “I’m not religious.”</p><p>He put his hands on his hips, “Good, you’ll be objective.”</p><p>“Objective about what?”</p><p>“The case,” he answered, “Now, come on. I’ll take you there.”</p><p>Before she could argue, he was guiding her out of the building to the parking lot and they were on their way. It took until she was walking up the steps for her to pause and actually think about what she was doing.</p><p>“I can’t,” she nearly yelled, both hands coming up in front of her.</p><p>Steve rolled his eyes, “You can, let’s go. Javi’s waiting.”</p><p>“No,” Eva countered, lowering her voice, “I can’t do field work. I’m not allowed.”</p><p>He sucked a breath through his teeth in frustration, “You’re not. You’re going to mass. Now, in.”</p><p>
  <span>Dragging her feet, Eva followed him in, folding her hands in front of her. It was a really nice church. Lots of stained glass, lots of wood. A confessional </span>
  <span>off to one side. </span>
  <span>Big cross with a Jesus on it. </span>
  <span> She walked up the aisle for what would be the second time in her life. Eva felt out of place the first time, too.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>God, she’d been fourteen and so stupid, so trusting of her parents and of—of Joshua. He was smart and handsome and a </span>
  <em>fucking doctor</em>
  <span>. So stupid. So trusting. Eva could still remember that she was excited to be a wife, that she had thanked God for making happen so fast for her. She’d prayed that she would be a good partner for him, that she would learn fast. Eva had stopped believing in God the day after she got married.</span>
</p><p>Javi was standing with a priest at the back—or was it the front—of the church. They were talking animatedly, smiles all around. Eva followed Steve, waiting to be introduced.</p><p>“Eva, this is Father Martin.”</p><p>She gave a little half wave, “Hello.”</p><p>“He’s got a youth baseball league running this summer, they just got new uniforms.”</p><p>“That’s great,” she said, wondering where this was going.</p><p>“They even bought all the players new cleats. Isn’t that great?”</p><p>
  <span>His expression </span>
  <span>told her that what he was saying was meaningful, and Eva was a little embarrassed that it took her a few moments to catch on. She cleared her throat and smiled congenially at the group.</span>
</p><p>“Um, could I use your restroom?”</p><p>Father Martin gestured to a hall tucked behind the confessional, “Yes, of course.”</p><p>
  <span>Eva thanked him and </span>
  <span>tried not to walk too fast. She located the bathroom pretty quickly and ran the faucet while she peeked further down the hall. Couple of rooms, nothing out of the ordinary. Still, she could get a little lost. Turning off the faucet, she slipped out of the bathroom and made her way to the first room—broom closet. Crossing the hall, she opened the next door. This was where they taught whatever the Catholic equivalent was of Sunday School.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eva had grown up like any other good Louisiana girl, a Southern Baptist. Where they gathered, there was </span>
  <span>f</span>
  <span>ood and Southern judgment. </span>
  <span>Her marriage had broken her of most of the things she’d once believed, but it hadn’t broken her of the good memories she had. </span>
</p><p>Reverently, she traced one of the little desks, smiling at the hand made art on the walls, little names scrawled in shaky writing. At the front was a chalk board, a bible verse carefully written in one corner, a psalm. Eva leaned on the desk and stared at it a moment, thinking that she probably could have done with a little more memorization at vacation Bible school.</p><p>
  <span>Next to the chalkboard, </span>
  <span>Eva noticed that the wall was cracked. Odd. The rest of the church was in immaculate condition. Rising, she went over and touched the cracked, gasping when it cracked more. Spinning around, she looked towards the door, as if God would stroll in and strike her down for damaging His house.</span>
</p><p>Using both hands, she tried to set it straight, which only made things worse. It cracked all the way up to nearly the ceiling. With a deep sigh, she looked at it, using a nail to scratch along the edge. It lifted away easily, and she discovered the it was...on a hinge.</p><p>“What the fu—hell. Hell? Is hell better?”</p><p>
  <span>Knowing she was already in it, Eva </span>
  <span>opened the makeshift door and found the back of the confessional. </span>
  <span>Brows together, she leaned in. It looked pretty normal, not that she’d ever been inside one. Well, there was a first time for everything. Primly, she turned and sat on the cushion, wiggling a bit. It wiggled with her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Standing, Eva </span>
  <span>reached beneath the seat and lifted it. She smiled, set the cushion down and closed the door. Quickly, she scuttled out into the hall and back into the sanctuary. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>T</span>
  <span>he boys were still talking with the priest, </span>
  <span>thought Steve was taking the occasional photo.</span>
  <span> She gave Javier a wink, thanked the priest for the use of his facilities, and headed back outside. Javier followed her.</span>
</p><p>“What’d you find?”</p><p>“You know, I’m not supposed to be doing this. I’m supposed to be at a desk.”</p><p>“I know-”</p><p>“Then, you also know that by asking me to crime scenes you are risking my freedom.”</p><p>He looked at her for a bit, chewing on his lip, “Listen, you’re good at this. I know that, and you’re only here to visit a potential church, recommended by me.”</p><p>“<span>You can’t just make up stories to suit your needs.”</span></p><p>“Why not?” he shot back, “DEA does it all the time.”</p><p>Eva looked away, “I can’t go back to prison, Javi.”</p><p>He took her by the shoulders, “You won’t. Steve and me, we’ll make sure of it.”</p><p>She nodded, crossing her arms.</p><p>“Now, what’d you find?”</p><p>“The church,” she answered, “Is hiding drugs under the seat of the confessional, probably in other places, too.”</p><p>He snapped his tongue over the back of his teeth, “You saw it.”</p><p>“I saw it.”</p><p>Dropping his hands, Javier pursed his lips, “I’m gonna call Carrillo. You sit tight out here in case it gets ugly.”</p><p>Eva shrugged, “You get the bad guys, I’m gonna go get a popscicle.”</p><p>And that’s what she did. Eva crossed the street to a tiny one stop shop and bought a cherry popscicle. Then, she found a bench where she had a good view of the front of the church and sat. As she pulled the paper apart, a couple Jeeps drove up to the church stairs and about ten or so policemen hauled ass inside, each of them wearing kevlar. Javier must have had them on stand by. Clearly, he thought he was working off good information. Perhaps, he’d snagged a nun as informant.</p><p>
  <span>Separating the two pieces, Eva took the top off one and held it in her mouth, letting the sugary syrup melt </span>
  <span>over her tongue. </span>
  <span>She hadn’t had one of these in a long time, couldn’t remember the las</span>
  <span>t one. Carefully, she tipped it over, slurping up one side. </span>
</p><p>Even from across the street, she could hear raised voices. They’d told the priest what she’d found, no doubt.</p><p>Eva sat there watching the police bring out load after load of cocaine, an astonishing amount, really. When she’d finished the popscicle, she got up and threw the wrapper and wooden sticks in the trash. On her way back, she saw Carrillo crossing the street towards her. Like his men, he was also kitted up. Eva was surprised that they’d found a bulletproof vest that could fit his broad shoulders. In any case, it was good look for him.</p><p>She sat, leaving enough room for him, a wordless invitation that he took.</p><p>“Having fun storming the castle?”</p><p>He huffed a short laugh, “I don’t know that ‘fun’ is how I would describe it.”</p><p>Eva hummed, knowing what he meant, then, “Guess its better than sitting at a desk.”</p><p>“On that, we agree. Javi tells me that you were the one who found the drugs.”</p><p>She shrugged, “Stumbled upon them, really.”</p><p>Carrillo looked at her, sidelong, “You have good eyes for this. I should put you on my payroll.”</p><p>Pleased by the complement, she allowed herself to feel a little bit of pride despite the fact that she really had simply stumbled upon the drugs.</p><p>Leaning back, Eva let her voice come out in a slow drawl, “I don’t know that you want to do that.”</p><p>He assessed her expression, asking, “Why?”</p><p>“Because,” she explained, matter of fact, “I don’t kiss the men who sign my paychecks.”</p><p>One side of his mouth lifted, a kind of playful light in his eyes, “I can get someone else to sign the paycheck.”</p><p>Feeling a blush rise to her cheeks, Eva looked away, saw that the priest was being cuffed in the doorway.</p><p>“What will happen to him?”</p><p>Carrillo’s face hardened a bit, “We’ll book him and he will make bail. He’ll be back before Sunday services.”</p><p>“That’s it?”</p><p>“That’s it.”</p><p>Is that how it worked in this country? She supposed that was how it worked everywhere—plenty of Josh’s boys got off without charges, plenty made bail, plenty went right back to what they were doing.</p><p>“What a load of bullshit.”</p><p>Carrillo laughed outright, “That is how it is.”</p><p>She opened her mouth and closed it, looking at her hands.</p><p>He lifted one hand and tapped the outside of her thigh once, “Inside thought?”</p><p>“Mmhmm.”</p><p>“Tell me—is it insulting?” He looked intrigued.</p><p>She shook her head, “More sad, I think.”</p><p>“Tell me.”</p><p>Sighing deeply, she simply said, “I was just thinking that whoever leaked the information to Javier is going to be crucified. I was also thinking that saying this out loud would be in poor taste.”</p><p>Carrillo made a sound of agreement, and then there was a few minutes where they both watched the priest being walked from the church to one of the Jeeps.</p><p>“How are you feeling?”</p><p>Eva was a little startled by the question, but she recovered quickly, “I’m better. Thank you for your help last week. It...made a difference.”</p><p>He acknowledged her thanks with a bob if his head, “You are welcome, and I am glad. When was the last time you nested?”</p><p>Her shock must have shown on her face because he went on, “When we met, the first thing I noticed was that you looked like you needed to take some time to nest.”</p><p>“The first thing?” Her? Sarcastic? No...</p><p>He gave a little shrug, abashed, “Okay, the second thing.”</p><p>God, but she wanted to needle him just a little bit, to volley back the unbalanced feeling he so often stirred in her. It took half a second to agree with herself that she should—just a little.</p><p>Eva turned, resting her elbow on the back of the bench and laying her head on her hand, “What was the first?”</p><p>She could tell he was regretting saying it, but Eva was curious, and she had a hard time not being curious about things. She did, however, keep the satisfied look off her face when his cheeks tinged with pink.</p><p>“Tell me,” she urged, echoing his tone from not a few minutes before.</p><p>Carrillo’s shoulders pulled down and she got the feeling that he was trying to make himself less threatening, an unconscious movement that told her he’d always been a little too large among his peers. She could see in that small movement that he’d learned early on that he was intimidating. She could also see that he probably knew when to use that to his advantage and when to pull back.</p><p>“You know the answer to that question, Eva,” he said eventually.</p><p>
  <span>She held up a finger, </span>
  <span>“I </span>
  <em>might </em>
  <span>know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After a deep inhale followed by a controlled exhale, he said, “</span>
  <span>I cannot believe I am saying this...</span>
  <span>Your scent. You know that it was your scent. I couldn’t </span>
  <em>fucking breathe</em>
  <span> in that conference room. </span>
  <span>I thought my blood was going to boil in my veins.</span>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>The words tumbled out quickly, but his tone was so reticent that there were little unusual pauses in his sentences. He definitely did not want to be saying it, but he clearly couldn’t help it, and it looked like that frustrated him. Eva bit her lip, touched by how ridiculously honest he was being with her at that moment. She should reward him for that honesty.</p><p>“Do you want to know a secret?”</p><p>He looked at her and nodded sharply, just once.</p><p>Eva moved a little closer and pitched her voice low, “I knew what you smelled like a month before we were introduced. I even saw you first, like a few weeks before. It was the only way I got through that meeting with any dignity.”</p><p>
  <span>There. She’d given him a fair trade. Eva did </span>
  <em>not </em>
  <span>need to add that she’d masturbated to that scent over and over for the month prior (and since). She didn’t think she would ever really have the courage to tell him </span>
  <em>that</em>
  <span> much. </span>
  <span>Just the thought made heat rise in her chest and cheeks.</span>
</p><p>He shifted to face her, “How?”</p><p>
  <span>She tilted her head to the side in a low arc, “You would come in to talk with one of the agents, we’d just miss each other and I c</span>
  <span>ould scent you</span>
  <span> a few times.”</span>
</p><p>His eyes narrowed and she could see the wheels turning in his head, “You said you saw me.”</p><p>“Yes, I did. Not for long, and from across the room. But, I knew.”</p><p>Strong fingers brushed down the forearm holding her head aloft, “How did you stand it? After—I think I lasted less than twenty four hours before I was coming up with ways to see you again.”</p><p>
  <span>Eva smiled, “I was just happy that I </span>
  <em>could</em>
  <span> feel that intensely. I think I wanted to savor it.”</span>
</p><p>He cocked his head to the side, eyes running over her face and downwards, catching on the way her skirt had hitched up a bit, “You never…”</p><p>She shook her head, “Josh was a beta. After we got married, I was on a tight leash. And after, there wasn’t much opportunity.”</p><p>
  <span>There went that jagged fury that billowed through his scent when she mentioned her marriage. She made a mental note to steer away from the subject, if she could.</span>
  <span> His mouth opened and closed, and her mouth widened in a smile.</span>
</p><p>“You just had an inside thought.”</p><p>He laughed, “I did.”</p><p>“Well, out with it.”</p><p>Carrillo, still smiling, said, “I think I’ve revealed enough for one day.”</p><p>Eva looked down, “You’re right. I’m sorry.”</p><p>He touched underneath her chin, “Don’t apologize for wanting to know my thoughts, hmm? I want to know yours constantly.”</p><p>“I pretty much say whatever I’m thinking, Big Guy.”</p><p>His name sounded from across the street and he straightened, listening.</p><p>“I need to go,” he said after a moment. “We’ll talk later.”</p><p>Eva watched him go, a warm feeling coming over her. She liked him a little too much, she knew that. She also knew that she was going to do absolutely nothing about it.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Eva’s heels clicked on the steps as she made her way up to the main office. She turned a corner and smiled. Even from across the room, she could see that he was sitting at his desk, looking over paperwork. Rubbing the bridge of his nose, he squeezed his eyes shut, then pressed the fingers of both hands into the muscle between his neck and shoulders. Eva tucked the folder into her chest and crossed the room, knocking gently on the door jamb.</p><p>He looked up, saying her name with a small, soft smile. Eva liked that smile, she wanted to see more of it.</p><p>“Hi,” she said, stepping into the room. “I brought pictures from the church. Steve said you’d want them as evidence.”</p><p>Eva hadn’t seen him since that day, a week or so of time replaying their conversation and feeling a terrible kind of hope that she had to hip check every once in a while. Enjoying his company was one thing, wanting something more was a completely separate matter entirely.</p><p>“Yes,” he confirmed, “But, as I said, he did make bail.”</p><p>She approached his desk, handing him the folder, “Are you still going to prosecute?”</p><p>He lifted a shoulder, “That’s not really my decision. I don’t take people to trial, I just arrest them.”</p><p>Eva watched him open the folder, sifting through the pictures one by one. Carrillo looked tense in a way that hinted that he hadn’t had sleep in a while. Although he was perfectly put together from his hair to his uniform, he was a little curled in on himself.</p><p>“You look exhausted,” she murmured before she could catch herself.</p><p>His eyes lifted to look at her from behind impossibly long lashes, “Its been a difficult week.”</p><p>“I’m sure,” Eva replied. “Catching criminals is hard work, take it from someone who used to be one.”</p><p>He chuckled, laying down the pictures, his hands flat against the desk, “Were you difficult to catch?”</p><p>“Oh, I was the worst,” she assured him, all sincerity. “Had to eventually turn myself in, just so the justice system could get a win.”</p><p>Carrillo, still laughing moved to standing and winced. His hand reached up to touch his shoulder. She just barely stopped herself from moving forward to touch him, the instinct catching her off guard.</p><p>“Are you hurt?”</p><p>He shook his head, “No, just slept on my neck wrong.”</p><p>Eva inhaled a breath, thinking. Then, she turned on her heel and closed his door. When she turned back to him, he was standing behind his desk, looking at her in question. He’d gone very still.</p><p>“I can help, if you’re okay with that.”</p><p>His head tilted to the side, “I’m okay with that.”</p><p>Eva smirked, moving towards him, “You don’t even know what I’ll do.”</p><p>“I’m relatively certain that you’re not going to hurt me. And, I’m armed.”</p><p>She glanced at the gun in a holster strapped to his side and conceded the point. She glanced around, getting her bearings. The room was sparsely decorated, though there were plenty of cabinets to file documentation. The small leather couch would work, but she dismissed it as too intimate. To her right was a stool. She could work with that.</p><p>Setting it down in front of her Eva gestured for him to sit, which he did. She ran her eyes over him, the bend of his neck, the thick curls of his hair that he made every attempt to tame. Her fingers flexed to muss the slick coif. Eva squeezed her hands together to keep them to herself for a moment longer.</p><p>“Where does it hurt?”</p><p>He huffed, his head turned to look at her over his shoulder, “Is everywhere a good answer?”</p><p>Eva rolled her eyes, “Let’s start with your neck. Is it upper or lower?”</p><p>“Both,” he answered, head dropped a little to expose the skin between his hairline and collar, “It kind of runs along the spine and down over the back of my shoulder.”</p><p>She nodded, despite the fact that he couldn’t see her, “Is it okay if I touch you?”</p><p>He nodded and she ran her fingers over the line of muscle from the back of his neck over to his shoulder. She kept her touch light, tracing until she found a bunched ball of fibers.</p><p>“I’m going to push a little. It might hurt.”</p><p>Eva allowed him to breath deep before she dug her first two fingers into it and rubbed in a small circle. He released a low groan, head falling all the way forward to his chest. She opened up the circle on each pass, then closed it again. Widen. Close. Widen. Close. She kept it up until the muscle relaxed a bit. Then she found another and repeated the process.</p><p>The act, itself, was soothing. Loosening muscle after muscle with firm, rhythmic strokes, sometimes with the palm of her hand, sometimes with the steady press of a knuckle. Eva rocked a little bit in her heels, moving over him to get a little more leverage.</p><p>His breathing was deep and even when she finished with the last one. Then, she ran her hands up both sides of his neck and pressed her thumbs to the nape, where his spine met his skull, kneading. Beneath her hands, he inhaled sharply, then let it out in one long, slow, breath. Eva kept the kneading motion up for a while more, enjoying that his body was completely pliant. She was sure there was something to be said about how she could bend him with nothing more than a little pressure from her hands, but Eva stowed it away along with the hope she was desperately trying to keep from feeling.</p><p>Though she was loathe to do it, Eva lifted her hands and stepped away. He remained where he was for several seconds, his head lifting slowly. Then, he turned and looked at her with sleepy eyes.</p><p>“Thank you.”</p><p>She smiled, folding her hands in front of her, “You’re welcome.”</p><p>He stood and circled the stool to stand in front of her, “Are you hungry?”</p><p>Her smile widened to a grin, “The answer to that question is always ‘yes’.”</p><p>“Good,” he said, “Come to lunch with me.”</p><p>Eva felt a blush rise in her cheeks as she breathed, “Okay.”</p><p>One side of his mouth turned up and he circled his desk to get his keys, slipping them into his pocket and guiding her to the door with one hand on the small of her back.</p><p>As they made their way outside, she asked, “Where are we going?”</p><p>He gestured to his truck, parked near the front of the office, “There’s a place not far from here. Good food. No bombs.”</p><p>She lifted a brow as she climbed into the passenger’s seat, “Well, that’s a relief. The last place I went to was crawling with them. I didn’t even stay long enough for a drink.”</p><p>Carrillo turned over the ignition, reaching behind her to brace against the headrest as he backed out. Eva looked him over as discretely as she could, inordinately pleased with watching him drive. Such a simple set of actions—pedals, gear shift, wheel—all working together with not much more than muscle memory.</p><p>“What?” he said, glancing over at her briefly before returning his eyes to the road.</p><p>Eva shook her head, “Nothing. I’m just, you know, trying to figure you out.”</p><p>“What have you figured out so far?”</p><p>Eva thought about it, biting her lip. Then, she turned in her seat, pulling her legs up underneath her a bit so that she could see him better, “You’ve got one foot in the darkness.”</p><p>Dark brows coming together, he asked, “What does that mean?”</p><p>She looked down, trying to gather her thoughts in a way that made sense, “I can see that you really want to do some good. You <em>really</em><span> want to catch…” she trailed off, then decided to start over. “I think this job, the intensity that you have for it, the intensity you have, in general—I mean, Big Guy, you </span><em>are</em><span> intense-”</span></p><p>He lifted his hand from the gear shift and placed it on her knee, stopping her. Eva held her breath, waiting.</p><p>“<span>You want to try again?”</span></p><p>She swallowed, “I know that you sometimes have to do things that aren’t strictly above board, believe me, I know. But, its hard to get out of once you’ve got both feet in.”</p><p>Carrillo sighed, hand flexing on the wheel, “I hear you.”</p><p>“Good,” she said, daring to put her hand on his, “Maybe take my advice on this.”</p><p>The restaurant was tucked in between two brick buildings, the entry a simple door halfway through an alley. If she didn’t already trust the man, Eva might have thought he was leading her to her death. She blindly followed him inside, the smell of spice hitting her square in the stomach.</p><p>It was dimly lit, the walls all brick. There were tables scattered around the room, each with a simple white tablecloth and place settings. A waitress led them to one near the back, speaking with Carrillo in a way that told her he was regular.</p><p>They sat, and Eva picked up the menu, looked at it, and set it down, “You know what? You order for me.”</p><p>His mouth thinned, “What do you like?”</p><p>She rested her head on her palm, “I’m pretty easy to please.”</p><p>“I’ll keep that in mind,” he murmured, looking up as the waitress approached.</p><p>He ordered in Spanish, and though she recognized a few words, it was too fast for her to pick up anything substantial. She <em>really</em><span> needed to pick up some books from the library, or see if Connie had some she could borrow.</span></p><p>The waitress brought a pair of highball glasses and set one in front of each of them. Eva picked it up and smelled it. Strong, lightly spiced, probably bourbon.</p><p>“You know, I’m not supposed to be drinking while I’m working.”</p><p>He sipped, looking at her from over the rim of his glass, “Is that in the contract?”</p><p>“Yes, actually. Page two, I think. No illicit substances while on the clock.”</p><p>Head tilted to the side, Carrillo gave her a kind of conspiratorial look, “But, you’re not on the clock. You’re at lunch.”</p><p>She rolled her eyes, relenting. She tipped back the glass, drawing just a little into her mouth. The amber liquid burned hot down her throat and she coughed a bit.</p><p>“Wow,” she said as she regained her breath. “I’m going to have to be on a one drink limit with that. I still have to read through last month’s reports and I’d like to not fall asleep at my desk.”</p><p>He set his glass down, leaning on his forearms, “That boring?”</p><p>“Dear God, yes. You’d think they’d, I don’t know, put a little spin on it, add a little flair,” she waved her hand, “Make it interesting for people like me who have to read them over and over.”</p><p>“At its core, this is pretty boring work,” he offered by way of explanation.</p><p>Eva lifted a brow, “It doesn’t have to be. I can think of, like, ten ways to make it more fun off the top of my head.”</p><p>Carrillo paused, then said, “Okay, I’ll bite. Tell me one way it can be more fun.”</p><p>Eyes flicking to the side, Eva considered her options, “Alright, first off, you could get a little inventive with the sting operations.”</p><p>He was definitely holding off a smile when he asked, “Inventive?”</p><p>“Yeah,” she said, “Throw in a flame thrower or two.”</p><p>He laughed outright, “A flame thrower? You think we have the budget for a flame thrower?”</p><p>Eva rolled a shoulder, “You could probably get one second hand. I’m sure some of my old contacts are still in business if you need a reference.”</p><p>“A flame thrower,” he repeated as the waitress brought their food.</p><p>Eva gave him her winningest smile as she picked up her fork, “I’m gonna have to have you order more often. This looks amazing.”</p><p>On her plate was a steaming empanada, the fried dough cracking when she cut into it.</p><p>“I told you. Good food.”</p><p>“Remind me to take your word for it when it comes to food,” she said, taking a bite. “This is the best thing I’ve had in weeks.”</p><p>“You don’t cook much?”</p><p>She shook her head, “I cook, but I am <em>really bad</em><span> at grocery shopping. I buy too much and then half of it goes bad before I can use it. That, and the stash.”</span></p><p>“The stash?”</p><p>
  <span>Eva looked down, chastising herself for just </span>
  <em>talking way too much</em>
  <span>, “Uh, yeah. I hide sweets from myself so that I don’t eat them. Even though I know where they are, </span>
  <span>its better that I don’t see them. Self control is not my forte when it comes to chocolate.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>S</span>
  <span>he shut her jaw quickly, forking food into her mouth to keep from elaborating further. He was looking at her, and though he wasn’t smiling, she could see the amusement in his eyes. Oh, God, why couldn’t she shut her mouth?</span>
</p><p>“Let’s go back to the flame thrower. You know how to get one?”</p><p>
  <span>Later, h</span>
  <span>e walked her out of the restaurant as he had walked her in, with a hand on her back, guiding her. </span>
  <span>They didn’t make it more than a step or two down the alley before he pressed against her center of gravity, moving </span>
  <span>her</span>
  <span> to stand against the brick wall behind her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>W</span>
  <span>ithout hesitation, he leaned down and kissed her. </span>
  <span>Eva sighed against his mouth, arms coming up to wrap around him securely. </span>
  <span>She pulled him closer, urging him to lay more of his weight into her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>B</span>
  <span>reaking away, he dropped his forehead to hers, “I’ve been wanting to do that since you came into my office.”</span>
</p><p>She smiled slowly, “You’re welcome to any time you like.”</p><p>“<span>Any time?”</span></p><p>Eva nodded, running a hand from the crown of his head to the nape of his neck.</p><p>He shifted his stance, mouth lowering next to her ear, “You should be careful what you offer me. I will take it.”</p><p>She felt a frisson race over her skin and she bolstered her courage, saying, “I wouldn’t offer it if I didn’t want to give it to you.”</p><p>
  <span>Against her, he breathed deeply. She felt his heart pound beneath her hands. </span>
  <span>All around her, Eva could feel him—his arms, his scent, his heat. </span>
  <span>She sank down into it, eyes closing.</span>
</p><p>The sound of his watch beeping dragged her out of the fog, settling her firmly back into her heels on the asphalt. Turning his wrist, he looked down at it.</p><p>“I need to get back.”</p><p>“Sure, sure.”</p><p>He took her hand, pulling her from the wall and down the alley towards where they parked, “Let me take you out.”</p><p>Eva’s brows lifted, “Like, a date?”</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>“Okay.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Alright, alright, I KNOW this isn't how a contact high works, but just suspend your disbelief a little bit more for me, ok?</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“No,” she said, jabbing a finger at Javier, “I’m not doing this.”</p><p>“C’mon,” he replied, gesturing with both hands, “It’ll be a half hour, max.”</p><p>She sneered, occupying her hands with packing her bag instead of punching him like she wanted to. He was smiling in that way he did when he knew that he would get his way. A self satisfied smirk that made her want to throw something at him.</p><p>“A half hour of your time. You’ll walk in, look around, walk out.”</p><p>Eva glared at him, “I have plans.”</p><p>And, she did. Though his evenings were often spent working into the night, Eva had been out with him several times over the last few weeks. She was looking forward to yet another night checking herself for talking too much and watching him smile wide enough that she could see his dimples.</p><p>“Push ‘em back.”</p><p>She scoffed, “I’m not pushing back plans to work in the field, which you remember that I’m not supposed to be doing.”</p><p>He waved her off, “It’ll be fine. You’re walking into a bar, looking around, and walking out.”</p><p>“I’m not walking into any bar!”</p><p>“Well, that’s a shame.”</p><p>Eva spun around, letting out a breath as Horacio slowed to a stop, his jacket over one arm.</p><p>“Hey,” she said, her voice a hitch pitched wheeze. “I’m just gonna...finish packing up.”</p><p>He eyed the others in the room, “What’s going on?”</p><p>Steve, who had been silent for nearly the whole argument, pushed from his position against his desk, “We got a lead on a back end shipment of drugs—low level, nothing serious. And, we thought since Eva is so good at sniffing these things out, she could maybe stop by the bar and see if she could pin point where they were stashing them.”</p><p>“So basically,” Eva added, sarcasm in her voice, “They want me to do their job for them.”</p><p>Javier ran a hand over his face, “That’s not what we’re asking you to do.”</p><p>Eva glared at him a second time, one hand on her hip.</p><p>“You <em>are</em><span> good at it,” Horacio offered.</span></p><p>
  <span>She turned her glare on him, “</span>
  <span>Y</span>
  <span>ou’re on their side?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He held up a hand defensively, </span>
  <span>“I’m not on sides, just stating facts.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Steve </span>
  <span>rolled his eyes</span>
  <span>, “Okay, listen. Eva, you just go in, look around, leave. You don’t even have to order a drink. Half an hour, tops.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her mouth thinned as she looked at all three men, who were apparently agreeing with one another. </span>
  <span>Although they’d had plenty of arguments, it was the first time they were all on the same side and it was...disconcerting.</span>
</p><p>Horacio slipped his arms into his jacket, “Half an hour. And, she gets the day off tomorrow. Javi, you’ll cover for her. Tell them you sent files to her apartment or something.”</p><p>Okay, maybe he was a little on her side.</p><p>Javier nodded, “Done.”</p><p>“Good, what’s the address?”</p><p>Eva blinked, wondering what the fuck had just happened. She watched as Horacio listened to the address, grabbed her purse, and guided her out of the office. It took her until they were on the road for her brain to finally catch up.</p><p>“Did you just negotiate a paid day off for me?”</p><p>He glanced over at her and smiled, “You need it. They’re working you too hard.”</p><p>“You’re one to talk about working too hard.”</p><p>This was true. Even when he was supposed to be relaxed, his mind would still wander away to work periodically. She could by the way his eyes went just a little cold. There was nothing to be done about it. This was the toll the work took on a person, no matter how strong.</p><p>“Point taken,” he retorted, pulling into a parking lot.</p><p>The bar looked like any other, populated by locals, busy. She squinted at it, wondering how they got shipments in and out.</p><p>“Listen,” she said, reaching out to touch his forearm, “I’m sorry I snapped at you earlier. I was frustrated that I keep getting pulled into these things, but I shouldn’t have taken it out on you.”</p><p>
  <span>He picked up her hand and kissed the back of it, “You’re fine. And, you should be frustrated </span>
  <span>because you’re right</span>
  <span>. You’re doing their leg work.”</span>
</p><p>Eva turned her gaze back to the bar, “I don’t actually mind doing a little reconnaissance, but I’m supposed to be spending time with someone I like, not warding off advances from drunk assholes while I try to figure out where the drugs are coming in at.”</p><p>Horacio’s grip on her hand tightened a fraction, “I think I can help with that.”</p><p>
  <span>She looked at him, </span>
  <span>intrigued,</span>
  <span> “Yeah?”</span>
</p><p><span>He hummed in assent, turning her hand over and pressing his mouth the inside of her wrist. Eva felt her breath stutter as he kissed </span><span>it</span><span> gently, his eyes finding hers and holding. </span><span>He rolled his tongue over the sensitive skin, tasting.</span> <span>Her breath stopped entirely. He gave her wrist another little kiss, then reached for her other hand. He was</span><em> marking</em><span> her and she was</span><em> letting</em><span> him. It surprised her how little that bothered her in that moment. She was even excited about the thought of carrying his scent with her into that bar. There wouldn’t be a single man in there, </span><span>alpha or otherwise,</span><span> who wouldn’t know she was with someone, despite the fact that she was clearly unmated. </span></p><p>
  <span>Eva shivered, her mouth parting on a soft moan. </span>
  <span>Unable to stand it a moment longer, she leaned over and kissed him. The position was a little awkward, the console digging into her hip, but well worth the discomfort. She started to pull back and he stopped her.</span>
</p><p>Against her mouth, he said, “Half an hour. After that, I’m coming in after you.”</p><p>
  <span>Shaking her head, she teased, “Won’t that be a little suspicious, me coming in, looking around, and leaving with the police. You’re like a minor celebrity her</span>
  <span>e</span>
  <span>, you know.”</span>
</p><p>He lifted a brow, “I’ll make it look like an arrest.”</p><p>At this she laughed, leaning back into the seat, “You just want to see if I can still get out of the cuffs. Admit it.”</p><p>Releasing her, he regarded her with a curious gaze, “I admit that I really want to know how you learned to do it.”</p><p>Eva opened the door, saying over her shoulder, “I’ll never tell.”</p><p>She caught him saying ‘we’ll see about that’ as she shut the door and headed for the entrance. The place was pretty standard, as far as bars went. There was a band playing, so she could count on almost everyone being at least a little distracted by the music. At least, distracted enough not to notice that she wasn’t drinking and wasn’t dancing. She made a circuit around the room, trying to think of how she would have hidden an illegal shipment back in the day.</p><p>
  <span>It certainly wouldn’t have been at a bar. Josh had been against establishments like this, thought they were places for degenerates. Fifteen years later and she could finally roll her eyes at the hypocrisy of his entire personality. </span>
  <span>It felt like a big middle finger to even the memory of him to be frequenting bars—it was one of the first things she did when she was released.</span>
</p><p>But, where would she hide something she didn’t want to be found in a place like this. Not behind the bar. Bartenders couldn’t always be trusted, too much turnover, too easy to buy. Not in the store room, too much traffic. Eva made another lap, pretending to be looking at the art on the walls. There had to be an office.</p><p>She went to the back and had to dodge one of the staff by stepping into the bathroom. So she had time to think, she went into one of the stalls and sat. The place looked clean, at least from the outside. She couldn’t even find an entrance that would support a trailer backing up to it to move the goods. Although, it would be smart to access from underground...</p><p>Standing, she gave the toilet an unnecessary flush and left the bathroom, moving further down the hall. The office door was open a crack, and she took a moment to check to see if anyone was watching before she touched the door to open it further. Empty. Empty and boring.</p><p>With a huff, Eva stood next to the emergency exit and leaned against the wall, staring at a picture of a dog. Just an ordinary dog standing at attention. It looked...bland. Like it had been purchased at a big box store and hung without ceremony. Which, made her think it was odd. The rest of the art in the place was from local artists, price tags written in neat handwriting beside each one.</p><p>The dog was looking at something out of the frame. Eva followed the direction of its snout to...a window. It was covered in a frosty film to obscure the outside. She stood on tip toes to see if she could see where it was pointing, both hands leaning into the sill—which moved.</p><p>Did everyone have a thing about hidden doors in this country?</p><p>
  <span>Looking over her shoulder, Eva stepped inside. She was not alone. The room was small, basically a cupboard, but it led to another room where a pair of men were talking. Talking and toking. The smell of weed was pungent </span>
  <span>enough that her nose wrinkled</span>
  <span>. Although Eva had been pretty well inured to pot while she was with Josh, she hadn’t had a moment that she didn’t feel watched by her superiors since she’d signed the contract. </span>
  <span>Any opportunity she had to partake was overshadowed by the possibility of a drug test.</span>
  <span> Every breath she took made her want to cough. She held it in </span>
  <span>before</span>
  <span> taking deep breaths in an attempt to keep her cover.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She couldn’t understand a word they were saying, but Eva was able to duck down enough that she could see inside the room they were talking in. They were sitting in </span>
  <span>lawn chairs, passing a blunt between them, the smoke billowing out towards her due to the fans that were running lazily nearby. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eva squinted, they were...thawing ice. Gigantic ice cubes sat on a table, little kiddie pools sitting below them to catch the runoff. She stared at them and almost laughed. They’d frozen the weed into ice cubes </span>
  <span>in an attempt</span>
  <span> to mask the smell. That was definitely new. She sat for a few minutes, trying to see if she could spot a company name that they were shipping under. She got nothing.</span>
</p><p>Knowing that she was on borrowed time, Eva backed up and peered out into the hallway to make sure the coast was clear before she stepped out of the little cupboard and closed the door behind her. She exited the bar in the least suspicious way she could manage, finally giving in to the urge to cough as she made it outside.</p><p>
  <span>Across the parking lot, she could see that Carrillo </span>
  <span>was watching for her</span>
  <span>. With quick steps, she headed for him, </span>
  <span>climbing up into the truck.</span>
</p><p>“<span>You see anything interesting?” he asked as she </span><span>pulled the seat belt over her torso</span><span>.</span></p><p>Eva nodded, “Let’s maybe get a few blocks from here before I start explaining.”</p><p>He turned the engine over, “Javier and Steve are not too far away.”</p><p>“Good,” she said, wondering why her eyes were so damn dry. “They can write up the report.”</p><p>
  <span>Eva rubbed carefully at her eyes, trying not to disturb her mascara. </span>
  <span>She just felt...dry. Her eyes, her throat. </span>
</p><p>“You okay?”</p><p>
  <span>She blinked, “Yeah, I’m okay. </span>
  <span>Allergies.</span>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>He was right, Javier and Steve weren’t far away, a matter of a few blocks and one four way stop. They were sitting at an outdoor cafe, drinking beer. Eva took the one that was offered to her, drinking deep. It was a moment before she realized that they were waiting for her to talk.</p><p>“<span>Oh, right,” she said, setting the bottle down. “I mean, pretty simple operation. They’</span><span>ve</span><span> got a false door behind the window in the back by the picture of the dog. They’re putting the product in ice to conceal the smell, </span><span>although I don’t know that it would fool a trained dog</span><span>. Back room is where they melt it down, probably where they weigh it, too.”</span></p><p>Javier stared at her, “That’s it.”</p><p>She frowned, “I’m sorry, has it escaped your notice that I’ve now found two caches of illegal substances? I know you were looking for coke and not pot, but ‘That’s it?’ Seriously?”</p><p>Even Eva could admit to herself that she was snapping at him, but she couldn’t find it in herself to care. This would have been a perfect night for a date. A little balmy, warm enough that she didn’t need a jacket. She could have gone to that bar to dance with Horacio, but no, she went to sneak around. The whole thing annoyed her.</p><p>Javier rolled his eyes, “Thank you.”</p><p>“That was really sincere. I appreciate the sincerity,” her tone was biting.</p><p>He frowned, “What is with you today?”</p><p>
  <span>Eva breathed deep and dropped her head into her hands. </span>
  <span>Horacio’s scent was still there, a warm, sweet thing that mellowed her ire. </span>
  <span>She inhaled it </span>
  <span>in an attempt to distract herself</span>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p>“<span>Nothing,” she said, eventually, “Just, forget about it.”</span></p><p>And, that seemed to satisfy him, if no one else at the table. Steve was eyeing her with that curious expression he used when he wanted to ask a question, but wouldn’t. Beside her, Horacio laid a hand on her hip with just the slightest pressure. She leaned into it, grateful for the support.</p><p>“We could raid it tonight,” Javier said as he lit a cigarette.</p><p>
  <em>Dear God,</em>
  <span> Eva thought </span>
  <span>with ire</span>
  <span>, </span>
  <em>I might as well go home now</em>
  <span>. Any hope she might have had of picking up their date was gone. </span>
  <span>At least she’d get to sleep with his scent wrapped around her, if not his body. He’d make sure she got home, kiss her goodnight, and then go off to raid a bar. She’d be a little lonely, but that stupid hope for a better tomorrow would be there. It would have been sad, except this same situation had happened once before, over and over when she’d been married—different players, same game—and Eva found that karma was certainly one hell of a bitch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I</span>
  <span>t said something for her state of mind that she didn’t realize she was laughing until her stomach started hurting. </span>
  <span>She drew in a breath, dropping her hands to the table.</span>
</p><p>“<span>I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” she breathed, “I’ve just had the worst case of d</span><span>é</span><span>j</span><span>à</span><span> vu.”</span></p><p>
  <span>S</span>
  <span>teve ran a hand through his hair, “You want to share with the class?”</span>
</p><p>Eva shook her head, “Nope.”</p><p>
  <span>It was then that Eva knew something wasn’t right. </span>
  <span>She usually wasn’t this argumentative—stubborn, yes, but not outright argumentative. She had better manners than that—</span>
  <em>oh, fuck.</em>
  <span> Eva closed her eyes </span>
  <span>and tried not to freak out. It was just a tiny contact high. She could manage it—in front of a high ranking police officer and two DEA agents. This was doable. She kept her head down, just in case.</span>
</p><p>“<span>You want to make the call?” </span><span>Javier said when she didn’t elaborate.</span></p><p>Horacio shrugged, “I’m off tonight. It’ll be there tomorrow.”</p><p>
  <span>Eva could tell by the way Javier’s eyes narrowed that this was an unusual response. </span>
  <span>Hell, she was even surprised by it. </span>
  <span>Her sense of karma evaporated as quickly as it came and she had to keep herself from staring open mouthed at him. Javier</span>
  <span> threw back the rest of his beer and stood, walking away without saying anything.</span>
</p><p>Steve rolled his eyes, “We’ll call you in the morning to work it out. Thanks, Eva.”</p><p>“No problem,” Eva called out, waving as she watched him walk off. Then, “I think you pissed him off.”</p><p>Horacio shrugged, “I’m not wrong. It will be there tomorrow.”</p><p>“<span>I didn’t say you were wrong,” Eva replied, “But I am surprised by it.”</span></p><p>
  <span>H</span>
  <span>e helped her to stand, leading her back to the truck, “Which part?”</span>
</p><p>“Hmm?” She was distracted by the feeling of his hand guiding her to where he’d parked.</p><p>“Which part are you surprised by?”</p><p>She leaned against the side of the truck, looking him over, “You’re a get up and go kind of guy. You don’t put things off until tomorrow.”</p><p>
  <span>He quirked an eyebrow, “You’re right, I don’t.” </span>
  <span>Then, he added, “In the interest of not putting things off, do you want to tell me what that was back there?”</span>
</p><p>Eva could feel the blush heat her cheeks, and she couldn’t keep her mouth from smiling stupidly. She looked down, trying to cover it.</p><p>“No,” he said, stepping forward and grasping her chin. “Don’t start doing that. Is it an inside thought?”</p><p>She giggled, “No. Its not an inside thought.”</p><p>“<span>Then, what?” </span><span>He caught her eye, saying her name in a slow, cajoling tone, “Tell me.”</span></p><p>
  <span>Huffing, Eva bit down on the inside of her cheek, “They had </span>
  <em>a lot</em>
  <span> of pot in there. I mean, a metric fuck ton.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She tried to go on, but found the explanation that formed in her mind to be too </span>
  <span>stupid, even internally. How was she supposed to verbalize it without it sounding equally stupid?</span>
</p><p>His pulled back a bit, analyzing her expression with half a smile, “I haven’t seen you this flustered since that meeting in the conference room. Its cute.”</p><p>“<span>Oh, don’t call me cute,” Eva bit out, </span><span>but she couldn’t maintain the facade of anger, devolving into little giggles as he looked at her in wonder. “I’m sorry, I really am.”</span></p><p>She inhaled, letting her head fall to his chest, her hands running down his arms to thread her fingers through his.</p><p>“Promise you won’t laugh.”</p><p>“I promise.”</p><p>“<span>In the bar, while I was scoping out </span><span>the back, I had to sit there for a few minutes. And… there was a lot of smoke.”</span></p><p>
  <span>She hated the way her voice pitched upwards at the end of the sentence, as if it were a question. </span>
  <span>She hated even more that she couldn’t look at him when she said it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I</span>
  <span>t started with a blown out breath and then he was holding his breath for several beats. Even with her forehead resting against him, she knew that he was working to hold off a laugh.</span>
</p><p>“<span>I knew it,” she cried out, looking up at him, “</span><span>I knew you would laugh. I have a contact high and you’re </span><em>laughing </em><span>at me.”</span></p><p>“<span>I’m not laughing,” he said as he definitely laughed.</span></p><p>“You are,” Eva shot back, crossing her arms.</p><p>
  <span>H</span>
  <span>e cupped her cheek, “Don’t pout.”</span>
</p><p>She tilted her face up when he drew her in for a kiss, arms wrapping around his middle to keep him close. He kissed her softly, and she could feel him trying not to smile into it. Feeling not a little vengeful, she nipped at him, soothing it just a little with a swipe of her tongue.</p><p>“<span>Its late,” he said between kisses, “Let me take you home.”</span></p><p>Eva was grateful that she was leaned up against the truck, her balance a little off, which was par for the course whenever they kissed. It was like as soon as their lips touched, she got a sudden rush of wild vertigo that made her dizzy in the best way. She hoped that feeling never faded. A stupid, unrelenting hope.</p><p>As they drove through the streets, she watched the buildings pass by, the wheels of her mind working.</p><p>“I can hear you thinking over there,” he said at a stoplight, looking over at her.</p><p>Eva ducked her head and blushed, “Yes, I’m thinking.”</p><p>“What about?”</p><p>The light turned green, but his eyes stayed on her and his foot remained on the brake. She glanced behind them. The road was empty.</p><p>“Um,” she began, “I was thinking that sooner or later we should probably acknowledge the obvious.”</p><p>He turned a little, resting his forearm on the console, “What is that?”</p><p>“<span>That I am an omega and that you are an alpha. That just about any time I spend with you drives me absolutely crazy.”</span></p><p>
  <span>H</span>
  <span>e observed her with a curious look in his eye, </span>
  <span>“Is this good or bad?”</span>
</p><p>She smiled, “Good, very good. At least I think so.”</p><p>He regarded her curiously, “Then, why would we need to acknowledge it.”</p><p>Eva leveled a sardonic look at him, “You marked me today, Horacio. You knew what you were doing when you did it.”</p><p>“I did.”</p><p>It relieved her that he wasn’t going to evade the conversation. She’d never done this before, and his straightforward attitude made her push forward despite the unsteadiness in her voice.</p><p>“I was brought up to believe that...meant something.”</p><p>She felt herself holding her breath a little. Eva had been out of society on and off since age fourteen, she hadn’t bothered to really learn the ins and outs of these kinds of relationships. She hadn’t thought she would need it.</p><p>The light turned yellow, then red.</p><p>“Is this the weed talking?”</p><p>Eva barked out a laugh, one hand coming up to cover her mouth, “No, no. It just got me thinking, that’s all.”</p><p>She’d given him an out, and part of her hoped that he would take it. Another part of her hoped that he’d at least give her some idea of what this was.</p><p>“<span>Eva, do you remember what I said when we met at the church? That I couldn’t breathe when I first met you?”</span></p><p>
  <span>Nodding, Eva kept quiet, barely managing to quash the feeling bubbling up inside her. </span>
  <span>She needed a clear head for this, needed to make sure she didn’t allow herself to get carried away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He licked his lips, his eyes searching her face, “Do you know what I also felt? When you were telling us about your husband? I felt </span>
  <em>rage.</em>
  <span> Sitting in front of me is the most delicious omega I’ve ever met and someone thought they could lay hands on her.” His hand flexed on the wheel, his scent sharpening. “And when you said you’d killed him for it, I thought to myself, ‘she doesn’t need protection’.” </span>
</p><p>The light turned green and he let off the brake, the car picking up acceleration.</p><p>“But, I wanted to give it to you, anyways.”</p><p>Eva searched for words, finding nothing. She settled on, “Really?”</p><p>
  <span>He nodded, reaching over to take her hand, “</span>
  <span>Then, you saved my ass in the bar fight.”</span>
</p><p>“I think that was more of a gunfight,” she commented, feeling warm all over.</p><p>“It was both,” he asserted, giving her hand a little squeeze, “You still kept me from getting shot.”</p><p>Eva scoffed, “I also threw a Molotov cocktail and set the place on fire.”</p><p>Horacio laughed, releasing her hand to pull into her neighborhood. He took it back almost immediately, “That was inventive.”</p><p>She shrugged, “I wouldn’t have done it if I thought the table would hold.”</p><p>
  <span>He rolled a shoulder, </span>
  <span>“That table was not going to hold. It was basically plywood.”</span>
</p><p>“You’re right,” she agreed as her apartment building came into view, “It was shit.”</p><p>
  <span>He parked, got out, and circled to open the door for her. She tried not to smile too wide when he held her hand up to her door. She reached into her p</span>
  <span>urse</span>
  <span> and pulled out her key, opening the lock.</span>
</p><p>“<span>Do you,” she started, fortifying her courage, “Want to come in?”</span></p><p>
  <span>H</span>
  <span>e tilted her chin up, looking at her for a few seconds. Eva’s eyes narrowed in confusion before she scoffed, pulling her chin away.</span>
</p><p>“I’m fine. I was the smallest bit high for, like, fifteen minutes. I’ve got full control over my faculties.” A moment later, she amended, “Well, as much control as I ever do around you.”</p><p>When he didn’t answer, she touched his chest, “Listen, if you don’t want to, I understand.”</p><p>His hand came up and gripped her wrist, “I’ve told you before that you shouldn’t mistake restraint for a lack of want.”</p><p>“Okay,” she breathed, “So, are you going to follow through on that want?”</p><p>
  <span>Horacio pushed her back into the apartment, closing the door behind him. </span>
  <span>She went willingly, dropped her bag to the side. </span>
  <span>She sighed into a welcome kiss, draping her arms over his shoulders. </span>
</p><p>Pulling away, he held up a finger, “One thing: I need you to let me lead. I’ll make sure you feel good, but let me set the pace.”</p><p>Lips parted, Eva felt a kind of fervent gratitude that quickly morphed into affection, “I don’t think that’s going to be a problem.”</p><p>
  <span>He watched her for a second before he leaned down and kissed her again, their tongue</span>
  <span>s</span>
  <span> tangling together. Eva felt her body go lax, most of her weight leaning into him. She let him lead her backwards, his hands pulling her close. The steps were small and slow, interspersed with deep, lazy kisses. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As they moved down the hall, he pulled her blouse up and out of her skirt, slipping his hands underneath. Eva groaned as he cupped her breasts over her bra, kneading the flesh. He was taking his time with her, his touches patient, thorough. </span>
  <span>It was driving her crazy. </span>
</p><p>Maneuvering her into the bedroom, Horacio finally pulled her blouse over her head, tossing it aside. He gripped her hips, eyeing her skirt.</p><p>“<span>You’ve worn this skirt before,” </span><span>he said raggedly, “</span><span>I’ve had </span><em>dreams</em><span> about this skirt.”</span></p><p>
  <span>Hands moving quickly, he pulled the zipper down and pushed the fabric to the floor. Eva, in an attempt to quell the little bit of nervousness that she was feeling, tugged at the polo he had tuck</span>
  <span>ed</span>
  <span> into his pants. </span>
  <span>She struggled to get it up and over his shoulders, too preoccupied with the </span>
  <span>w</span>
  <span>ay he was palming her ass. Taking pity on her, he</span>
  <span> reached behind him and pulled it up and over his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>Oh, that is not fair, </em>
  <span>she thought, her mouth suddenly dry. The man dressed like a middle aged </span>
  <span>dad, halfway to a mid-life crisis</span>
  <span>—all khakis and variations of a polo shirt—and it was hiding such a strong, sensuous body. </span>
  <span>Eva knew he was powerful, had felt the firm press of muscle when he held her, but </span>
  <em>dear God</em>
  <span>, he was gorgeous all over. </span>
</p><p>Helping her down to the bed, he knelt in front of the mattress, kissing up her stomach as his fingers unsnapped her bra. It went the way of her other clothing, followed by her panties.</p><p>“Lean back,” he said in a voice not much louder than a whisper.</p><p>She slowly let her weight fall to the bed as he parted her thighs. There wasn’t much light in the room, just what was filtered in from the open door to the hall and the streetlights from the window. But, in it, she could see him staring at her, tongue rolling over his bottom lip. More than a little self conscious, she tried to close her legs, eyes diverted.</p><p>
  <span>Fingers</span>
  <span> tightening on her knees, his eyes flicked up to her, “No.”</span>
</p><p>A simple directive. An order from an alpha that Eva had no hope of disobeying. Her hips opened and her legs fell to the side. If she wasn’t anticipating his next move so much, she might have had it in her to figure out a way to wipe the smirk off his face.</p><p>
  <span>It faded soon enough. </span>
  <span>The first touch of his mouth on her shocked Eva so much that she jerked, her hips pulling back. Making a sound of displeasure, he grabbed her hips and pulled her to the end of the bed, hooking her legs over his shoulders. His hands pressed onto her stomach, holding her still as he laid his tongue flat against her, licking from bottom to top </span>
  <span>in one long stripe</span>
  <span>. Eva tried to calm her breathing, her fingers digging into the comforter below her. </span>
  <span>The heat of his mouth coupled with the confidence in every movement made for a heady combination.</span>
</p><p>Moaning lowly, he sucked each of her lips in turn, moving back and forth, tongue dipping inside before starting again. Over and over in slow, meticulous succession, until Eva was rolling her hips up, trying to get more friction. His thumb moved to circle her clit, rubbing around it, avoiding the tightest bundle of nerves.</p><p>
  <span>She whined, carding her hand into his curls, trying to wordlessly urge him to give her more. </span>
  <span>He seemed to hear her—in the next second, he was pushing two fingers into her in one slow, careful thrust. Her breath caught in her throat, releasing on a high pitched moan when he shifted up and gave a firm suck to her clit. And then another. And another. Her eyes closed, losing all control over her body. Her heels dug into his back as she used as much leverage as she could to get closer.</span>
</p><p>Nose pushing into her pubic bone, Horacio added a third finger, the stretch burning despite how obscenely wet she was. Eva’s eyes rolled back, the orgasm clenching down on him hard. She cried out, a hoarse sound that he echoed as he buried his face deeper between her thighs, tongue rolling over her folds eagerly.</p><p>
  <span>He </span>
  <span>eased her legs down, lightly massaging </span>
  <span>her thighs before he rose to lean over her. Eva was still catching her breath when he kissed up the column of her throat and over to her scent gland, sucking gently on it. She gave a reedy moan, body curling up and around him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>H</span>
  <span>e shushed her, easing her back down onto the bed. More kisses, a gentle massage against her folds that had her already simmering arousal making a slow ascent upwards once more. Needy and wanting more, Eva grabbed the back of his neck, arching her body into his. It was then that she realized he was still wearing the goddamned khakis. </span>
  <span>She pulled away, pushing her fingers beneath his belt buckle, pulling the leather through the bar and managing to get the it loose before he grabbed both of her hands.</span>
</p><p>“I told you that you needed to let me lead, Eva,” he grumbled, looking down at her with censure.</p><p>She bit her lip, fingers curling into little fists as she waited for...she didn’t know what. Would he stop?</p><p>Making a soft tsking sound, he pushed her hair from her face, “I’m going to get you ready, okay?”</p><p>Eva laughed softly, “I just came, Horacio. I think I’m ready.”</p><p>
  <span>Shaking his head, he pulled one of her hands down, flattening her palm against the fly of his pants. </span>
  <span>She let him hold her there, curving her fingers over the shape of him. Her smile faded just a little as the mapped him. Although she might say that he was average in length, in width—</span>
  <em>well, fuck.</em>
  <span> Her body clenched as she thought about how tightly he would fill her up, how he might not even fit. </span>
</p><p>In a rush of determination, Eva slipped the button of his fly loose and pushed her hand down between his pants and underwear. He hissed as she gave him a slow, firm stroke. Her original assessment was correct, he would fill her absolutely to the brim. The thought intimidated her as much as it excited her.</p><p>
  <span>Leaning down next to her ear, he asked, “Do you understand why I need to lead this?” </span>
  <span>His grip tightened ever so slightly, “I need to make sure you’re ready.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He pushed her hand away, resting his weight on one arm so that he could open her back up to his touch. Carefully, Horacio slipped two, then three, fingers inside her, spreading them to stretch her folds open. </span>
  <span>She groaned at the feeling, eyes closing. </span>
  <span>The gentle exploration quickly grew in intensity, his thumb giving a firm stroke to her clit with every thrust. Eva writhed in the sheets, unable to stay still. The feeling built upon itself, spiraling up and out of her. It was harder than the first, deeper in a way that had her gritting her teeth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sweat had pooled over her chest and hips, her heart hammering in her throat. She felt too wound up and boneless at the same time. </span>
  <span>His fingers slipped from her sopping folds as he shifted to the side. He placed little kisses over her skin, eyes looking over her body with something akin to pride.</span>
</p><p>“Good?”</p><p>She nodded, not quite able to speak, lips dry. As she gained some feeling back into her body, Eva rolled a little and hooked the fingers of one hand into his pants, tugging at them. He took her meaning and slipped them off leaving him in boxer briefs that were damp with precum. She kissed his chest, tracing the pad of her thumb over the crown of him. He only let her touch him for a short time, the muscles of his body tight with restraint. When she wriggled her hand inside to get at skin, he stopped her.</p><p>Holding both wrists down beside her head, Horacio rolled atop her, settling his hips between her thighs. Eva wrapped her legs around his waist, letting him sink as deep as possible to the cradle of her hips, a welcome weight.</p><p>He kissed her briefly, “Condom?”</p><p>
  <span>Eva nodded, pointing to the nightstand. </span>
  <span>He was all perfunctory movements as he opened the drawer, pulled out the condom, shoved off the last of his clothing, and rolled it on. She was glad for it as it gave her an excellent view of him fully naked for the first time. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wanting to touch him, she sat up and </span>
  <span>brushed her hands over his strong thighs, filing away the image of sitting atop them for later. </span>
  <span>He cupped the back of her neck, kissing her as he urged her to lay back, his body covering her.</span>
</p><p>“Slow,” he said between kisses, “We go slow.”</p><p>
  <span>Eva was absolutely on board for that, </span>
  <span>still feeling a little timidity about</span>
  <span> the size of him. She hadn’t been with anyone since coming to her new assignment, so she knew she’d need a little time to adjust. </span>
  <span>Drawing her bottom lip between her teeth, Eva forced her body to relax. </span>
</p><p>“Slow,” he reiterated as he lined himself up.</p><p>
  <span>The first push made her rethink her choices that night, and she couldn’t keep from closing her eyes against the burn. </span>
  <span>Fuck, but she wanted it. </span>
  <span>She tucked her chin into the curve of his neck, breathin</span>
  <span>g long, slow breaths. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Groaning, Horacio adjust</span>
  <span>ed</span>
  <span> his weight and pushed a little deeper. Just when Eva thought she couldn’t stretch any further, there was more of him easing inside. Though she tried to stop it, a little sound escaped her throat. </span>
</p><p>He stopped, lifting just a bit to check her expression, and she could see him working to make a decision, strain behind his eyes. Then, he pulled out and rolled over to his back.</p><p>“C’mere.”</p><p>
  <span>Though she was still a little shaky, Eva crawled over him, straddling his hips. </span>
  <span>He helped her tilt up and then back down again. Using her hands on his chest for balance, she tried to let gravity ease her down. Despite how wet she was, she could only take a few inches before she had to stop and focus on her breathing.</span>
</p><p>“I don’t think I can,” she admitted after a few shallow thrusts.</p><p>He rose and wrapped his arms around her, “You can, you can.”</p><p>
  <span>When she faltered, he buried his nose in her hair, cradling most of her weight and taking the motion from her. Up and down. Nice and easy. Just a little more every time. </span>
  <span>With every stroke, the burn eased just a little, until she was giving him </span>
  <span>tiny </span>
  <span>rolls of her hips, </span>
  <span>until</span>
  <span> tingles of sensation overcame the stretch of her body.</span>
  <span> Needing to, she kissed him, sighing into his mouth when she sank down so smoothly that the little gains that they had been making suddenly became one generous thrust. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>E</span>
  <span>va gasped, hips swiveling.</span>
</p><p>His eyes widened as he looked down at where they were joined, “Good?”</p><p>She nodded, “I’m good. So good.”</p><p>Another rise and fall, and she was gripping the back of his neck, widening her stance to take him all the way to the base where she ground down hard. He hissed, arms tightening so that there was not an inch of space between them. It stunted her movements, and Eva found herself wanting desperately to keep the steady rise of pleasure.</p><p>Small, but growing whimpers sounded from her lips, her body’s movements liquid and burning. She wanted more, and she wanted it now. Horacio’s hold on her kept the pace maddeningly slow, but so goddamn steady that it anchored her to him.</p><p>“I’m so full,” she bit out, her head dropping to his shoulder in near defeat, “You fill me up.”</p><p>
  <span>Below her, </span>
  <span>he </span>
  <span>let out a harsh breath, followed by a sharp inhale and long, agonized groan. His hips pushed up hard, just once grinding into her before beginning that steady pace again, if only a little faster. </span>
  <span>She was glad he had some control because her mouth had started up and there was no hope that she was going to be able to stop it at this point.</span>
</p><p>“Fuck, you feel so good inside me,” she said on an exhale, her voice cracking.</p><p>
  <span>He kissed </span>
  <span>her </span>
  <span>hard, bracing one hand against the mattress, to get more leverage, hips arching off the bed. The release of his hold gave Eva all she needed to begin meeting him in the middle. </span>
  <span>With a low whine, she angled her hips and drove down on him, her jaw loosening when he hit every spot inside her that made her squirm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His forehead pressed against her, nose pressed into her cheek, Horacio swallowed audibly, saying, “</span>
  <span>Mmph</span>
  <span>—</span>
  <em>fuck</em>
  <span>, slow. Eva, slow.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The words seemed forced out of him, his voice hoarse. Eva kept going, pulling away to get a good look at his face. His brows were drawn together, mouth open and wet, sweat on his temples. He looked...</span>
  <em>fucking wrecked.</em>
  <span> She could see in that moment how hard he was trying not to come, and it made a shot of determination zing through her. </span>
  <span>He could have made that directive an order, could have </span>
  <span>ass</span>
  <span>erted himself as the alpha, but he hadn’t. </span>
  <span>This gave her an opening that she was all too eager to take.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kissing him, she pushed at his shoulders, following him down and slowing the drive of her hips. </span>
  <span>She gave him sweet, lazy kisses until the tension in his body lessened enough that she felt confident he believed that she was listening to him. Then, she sat up, and called on the last remaining vestiges of her energy. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She started with slow undulations that ended with that little grind that he favored. But, Eva was not a patient woman, and she was soon </span>
  <span>riding him as she had been before. His hands flew to her hips, but he didn’t stop her. Just the opposite. He pulled her down to meet him, head thrown back to expose the strong column of his neck—a staccato ‘</span>
  <em>ah, ah, ah’ </em>
  <span>sounding each time their hips met. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Impossibly, he hardened further, until his grasp tightened to bruising and she felt him pulse inside her. He groaned in the back of his throat, eyes shut. Eva smiled down at him, thinking that he was gorgeous even when he was coming, </span>
  <em>especially</em>
  <span> when he was coming.</span>
</p><p>After a few more shallow thrusts, she eased off him and to the side, watching him catch his breath as hers returned to normal. Reaching down, he slipped off the condom, tying it off and leaning over the bed to toss it in a waste basket she kept nearby.</p><p>
  <span>Eva didn’t touch him when he laid back down, though she wanted to. She wanted to lay her head on his chest and hear his heartbeat, curl up next to him while they dozed. </span>
  <span>A much stronger part of her kept her hands to herself, not knowing what </span>
  <em>he</em>
  <span> wanted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Horacio leaned his weight on an elbow reached out to tucked her sweaty hair from her face. </span>
  <span>Charmed by the gesture, she turned and kissed his palm, holding it to her briefly before letting go. </span>
  <span>He shuffled closer, gathering her to his body, the backs of his fingers tracing one long line down the length of her.</span>
</p><p>On the upstroke, he slid them between her legs, brushing against her, “Are you hurt? Sore?”</p><p>She mentally reached out to her body, feeling for injury, “No, but I’ll probably be a little sore in the morning.”</p><p>
  <span>After a few moments of silence, Horacio helped her stand and took her to the bathroom where he turned on the hot water. They showered a little awkwardly, the space too small for both of them. His hands never really left her, though, lingering over her body in a way that </span>
  <span>spiked a surprising return of her arousal. He laid kisses all over as he dried her off, haphazardly running the towel over his hair and body before tossing it aside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he laid her back down in the bed, he kept her near. Naked, warm, and clean, they laid together, talking about nothing at all. And, all the while, he would lean down and press a kiss here, a lick there, just skirting the edge of what she might consider seduction.</span>
  <span> And yet, her body began to respond as if he’d just started touching her. The fog of her exhaustion gave her a temporary reprieve, lifting just enough that she felt her thighs clench together—or, they would have, if he hadn’t kept his hand right where it was.</span>
</p><p>Pushing her to her back, Horacio shifted his arm beneath her neck, the other laying across her body, fingers running up and down her slit, circling at the top.</p><p>“<span>You took me so well, Eva. I knew you could,” he murmured in her ear. “</span><span>Made me come before I was ready.”</span></p><p>He alternated between focusing on her clit and rubbing sensuously over her opening. The touch was light, but focused enough that soon enough her hips were tilting up, searching for more stimulation.</p><p>“Are you going to come for me again?” He asked, heat lacing every word, “I think you’ve got another in you.”</p><p>Unbelievably, it appeared that she did, in fact, have another in her. Though he hadn’t penetrated her, Eva felt the orgasm build and pulse through her. Thighs jerking, she gasped against his mouth as he worked her through it.</p><p>With a low hum, Horacio slowed his touch, kissing down her jaw to her neck where he nuzzled against her. Though she’d been granted a short respite, Eva felt the need for sleep come crashing in. Eyes drooping, she shifted to her side and curled into his body. She fell asleep to the feeling of him lazily tracing the contours of her shoulders and back.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 8.5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Eva woke alone. Groggy, she rubbed her eyes and squinted against the morning sun. She rolled to the side and instantly regretted it. The inside of her thighs, the muscles over her ribs all cried out, telling her that she’d overexerted herself. Experimentally, she reached down and pressed four fingers of one hand against her folds, wincing just a bit. She’d definitely overworked it.</p><p>Rising, she pulled on a too baggy t-shirt from her dresser and wrapped her hair up into a bun. She could smell coffee and it drew her out to the kitchen. Horacio was sitting at the bar the ran along the back of the sink, sipping from one of her souvenir mugs—Las Vegas Welcomes You!</p><p>“You’re one of those people who wakes up early and goes to the gym, aren’t you?” She deadpanned as she crossed the kitchen to make her own cup.</p><p>He laughed softly and even though she wasn’t looking at him, she knew he was shaking his head. Coffee made, she turned and circled the bar, sitting on the stool next to him. He hadn’t bothered to pull on more than his boxer briefs, and she took a moment to just look at him. Taking a sip, she reached out to smooth an errant curl. He smiled and took her hand.</p><p>For a long while, they were just...there. Sitting, drinking coffee, holding hands. Eva didn’t think that she’d done this, well, ever. With anyone. And, it was so, so nice, this feeling.</p><p>Setting his cup down, Horacio placed both hands on her knees, thumbs tracing little circles on the outside, “How are you feeling?”</p><p>She knew what he was asking, and she wondered when she’d gained the ability to read his intent so clearly. Eva covered his hands with her own, “I’m sore, but its been a while, so that’s to be expected.”</p><p>Though he said nothing, there was doubt in his expression. And then, his eyes narrowed, “You just had an inside thought.”</p><p>Eva blinked, startled, “I did.”</p><p>He shot her a look that she was coming to understand as, ‘tell me, or I will make you tell me.’ For a very short three seconds or so, she considered diverting his attention in some way. But, something told her to just get it out there. It wasn’t worth it to avoid the conversation, not when it was ruining a perfectly good hand hold.</p><p>She ran a hand up his arm, “You’ve had this conversation before, haven’t you?” He didn’t answer, but his eyes did glance to the side and back. She was right. “And, it did not go well.” Not a word, but she’d hit the nail on the head.</p><p>“You like me?” She asked, a twinge of anxiety hitting her in the stomach.</p><p>Releasing a breath, he nodded, “I like you.”</p><p>She didn’t really want to admit how relieved she was to hear it, “And, you don’t want to scare me.”</p><p>Another nod. She wondered what had happened to make him think that she could be scared of him. What had he done that was any worse than what she had done?</p><p>“When we first met, you asked me why I wasn’t scared of you. Do you remember what I said?”</p><p>One side of his mouth quirked up, “Because I wasn’t a threat to you.”</p><p>“That’s right,” she said, “Has anything really changed since then? Leave the sex out of it, for a minute. Have you suddenly begun to regard me maliciously?”</p><p>“No.”</p><p>“Do you want to hurt me?”</p><p>“No.”</p><p>“Alright, then why do you think that you would while we were—while…” A flush crept up her neck as she stumbled over her words. Eva took a breath, then said, “What’s the difference?”</p><p>He pulled his lips between his teeth while he thought, “I don’t always have the best control when I’m…”</p><p>She smiled, “You seemed to do just fine last night.”</p><p>And, he had. He’d been attentive and considerate, warm in a way that she hadn’t ever had in a partner. That he was so unsure only solidified her resolve to clear up whatever hesitations he might have.</p><p>His brows lifted and he gave a little nod, “Barely.”</p><p>Running her tongue along her bottom lip, Eva decided to go with a different tactic. She slid from the stool and stood between his legs, cupping his face.</p><p>“Horacio,” she breathed, skimming her thumbs over the stubble on his jaw, “I’d like to ask you a question, and I hope that you’ll be able to answer me.”</p><p>His lids fell to half mast, arms coming up and around her hips. Eva kissed him sweetly, letting him pull her deeper into his body.</p><p>“Tell me,” she murmured, “How many times did you make me come last night?”</p><p>Eva didn’t give him the time to answer, kissing him deeply. Hands in his hair, she kept kissing him until she had to break away for air.</p><p>“Are you going to answer me?” She asked, rising up on her toes to kiss him again. “Do you remember?”</p><p>He nodded, capturing her lips again, nipping at them with his teeth, soothing them with his tongue. In between one kiss and the next, he choked out the number ‘three’.</p><p>“Mmhmm,” she hummed, sighing when he palmed her breasts over her shirt, “Three. All with you barely holding it together. Now, I want you to imagine how many I would have had if you hadn’t.”</p><p>Every muscle in his body tightened, eyes alight. Eva couldn’t be sure, but she might have actually shocked him. Patting his chest, she grabbed her cup, intending to get a refill. When she turned from him, his arm enveloped her waist, pulling her back. He took her cup and set it pointedly on the bar.</p><p>Dropping his hand, Horacio traced up the side of her thigh until he reached her hip. Eva was pretty sure he’d just discovered she wasn’t wearing underwear. Eyes forward, she remained still as she waited for him to process and react.</p><p>His hand changed course, moving to cup her firmly. Breath hitching, she widened her stance. Next to her ear, he muttered something in Spanish, tone hot.</p><p>“What was that?”</p><p>Tucking his nose behind her ear, he said, “You have the sweetest little pussy.”</p><p>Jaw dropping, she looked over her shoulder at him, “Really?”</p><p>Eva might have had it in her to feel embarrassed by the way she desperately wanted validation from him—<em>might have</em><span>, if he wasn’t caressing her so nicely. He rubbed with just enough pressure to coax her arousal along at a steady pace, </span><span>mindful that she might be sensitive</span><span>. </span><span>She sucked in a breath, rocking on the balls of her feet, her toes curling on the hardwood.</span></p><p>
  <span>H</span>
  <span>e hummed his assent, “</span>
  <span>I love how wet you get for me.” He plunged two fingers inside, inhaling, “I love how you smell.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>S</span>
  <span>uddenly, she was being lifted up and thrown over the back of the couch. She landed with a sharp yelp, her eyes wide with surprise. </span>
</p><p>He leaned over her, smiling wide, “Don’t move.”</p><p>And then he was gone. Chuckling, Eva stayed right where she was, listening to his footsteps fade and then come back. He stepped around the end of the couch, tossed a condom onto the coffee table, and crawled over her. Pulling her thighs up and around him, he kissed her softly. One kiss blended into the next, growing deeper, hotter. Eva couldn’t stop touching him, couldn’t stop her hands from running over every inch of exposed skin.</p><p>Pulling the t shirt off her body, Horacio threw it aside and looked down the length of her, hands smoothing along her sides. He eased her hips open, thumbs slipping down to hold her open.</p><p>“Pretty,” he breathed.</p><p>Eva, feeling just a bit exposed, gave a nervous chuckle, “First I’m sweet, now I’m pretty.”</p><p>Looking up at her from beneath his lashes, half smiling, he said, “You’re both. Sweet, pretty.” He leaned down and licked—too light to give her any real stimulation, but the visual made her suck in a breath, her heart stuttering. “Tasty.” He ran the flat of his tongue over her again, swirling it over her clit, “Hot. Wet.”</p><p>His words trailed off as he got honest about it, two fingers pushing inside. Eva’s eyes closed, a low moan sounding. Against all reason, the wave of her orgasm rose fast and hard. She cried out, head tipped back, hands gripping the cushion beneath her. He worked her through it and kept going, slowing only long enough for her to get her breath.</p><p>“I can’t,” she said hoarsely, “I can’t so soon.”</p><p>He groaned against her, lifting up just enough to say, “I disagree.”</p><p>The fingers inside her curled, pressing hard against a spot inside her that made her vision go completely black as her eyes rolled back. A strangled squeak eeked out of her throat, her muscles burning from being held so damn tightly. Her body obeyed him without having to be told, and she was soon coming again, her face buried against the back of the couch.</p><p>When she could see again, Eva pushed him to sit back into the couch cushions. She leaned over and grabbed the condom, rising to straddle him. He held her hips, steadying her as she rested most of her weight on the back of the couch, keeping distance between them.</p><p>She kissed him, dipping her tongue inside to taste a mix of them both. Mouthing down his jaw, she rasped her lips against his stubble. He dropped his chin and nuzzled into her breasts, reaching down to grab a handful of her ass.</p><p>Eva traced the waistband of his briefs, “Off.”</p><p>He slid them off, kicking them to the side while she opened the packet. She rolled on the condom, giving him a firm stroke. When she went to lower herself down on him, he grasped her hips. He held her gaze as he guided her down slow. She was wet enough that the glide was only hampered by the need to pause and let her body adjust to him. The full light of the day told her that she hadn’t been wrong when she’d felt how big he was the night previous. He stretched her wide with every push downwards, pressing against her walls deliciously.</p><p>As she took the last few inches, Eva let her forehead fall to his, their noses brushing against one another. She let herself just sit there for a minute, soaking in the heat of his skin, the way they breathed the same air. Her body was so full that she could feel his heartbeat from the inside. Though he had to be needing her to move, he didn’t pull at her, didn’t try to push her to start rocking on him. She could kiss him for that—so she did.</p><p>Long, slow kisses that poured out from her like honey, making her feel drugged. She was absolutely steeped in his scent, anchored down by it. Eva thought that she could stay just like this forever. It was a dangerous thought, one that Eva set aside as she laid kisses down his neck and over to the sensitive skin behind his ear.</p><p>Beneath that skin was a little ridge, a scent gland that told the world what he was and signaled all kinds of information—his moods, his bond status, his wants and needs. For an omega, for <em>this omega</em>, it drew attention and care. She pressed her tongue to it, pulling the taste of him into her mouth.</p><p>Groaning, Horacio’s grip tightened, but she felt him breathe deep, visibly centering himself. This was disappointing. She should try again. Eva rolled her tongue over the gland again, ending it with a firm suck, the sound of it loud in the quiet of the room.</p><p>He exclaimed harshly, hips driving up hard once, twice. He held her to him, one hand buried in her hair, the other wrapped around her waist. Seeming to catch himself, he rested his head on her shoulder, mumbling a sincere ‘lo siento’. He whispered it again, using the leverage of his grip on her hair to pull her face to his. She smiled, kissing him briefly, wordlessly letting him know that she was fine.</p><p>And then she went right back to what she was doing. His entirely body went lax and somehow clenched at the same time, his hands squeezing into fists. He groaned her name. He panted against her skin. But, he didn’t move. Eva marveled at the sheer amount of control he had—if the situation had been reversed, she would have done anything to get the stimulation she needed.</p><p>As it was, she could feel her body pulse with want, all her senses inundated with the feeling of the strong, aroused alpha beneath her.</p><p>“You’re doing so good.”</p><p>The thought came out as soon as it entered her mind, along with the need to reward him for everything that he was trying to do. She nosed over to the other side of his neck, thumb rubbing at the gland on that side. A rumbling growl vibrated against her chest, his heart hammering underneath. Eva leaned down and let him feel her breathe against it. God, but he smelled good everywhere. She took in deep lungfuls, fingers curling over his shoulders to hold him still—not that she needed to.</p><p>“So good,” she repeated, drawing the gland gingerly between her lips.</p><p>His chin tipped back, allowing her all the access she wanted. His moans sounded in time with her kiss, interrupted by little growls that she could tell he was fighting to hold back.</p><p>Pulling away, she looked at him. He was biting his lip so hard, she thought he might actually draw blood. Brows together, she ran a thumb over his chin, pulling gently. When he released it, she drew the reddened skin into her mouth, running her tongue over it.</p><p>Horacio kissed her hard, hands cupping either side of her head. Eva swiveled her hips a little, enjoying the little gasp he made when she ground down on him. The movement was smooth, her slick running down his cock with every pass. Unable to keep the slow pace, it wasn’t long before Eva was rocking her hips over him, angling to hit her g spot with every downward thrust.</p><p>Her entire world narrowed down on the way her body was lighting up with pleasure, tightening around him. Little groans grew into high pitched rhythmic moans. Fuck, she was going to come again. He seemed to know it, too.</p><p>Horacio helped her along, when her hips started to falter, “I got you. Wanna feel it. I wanna feel you come on me.”</p><p>Fire burned low in her belly, billowing out so that her whole body felt encompassed by blistering heat. Eva felt a kind of ragged scream scrape past her vocal chords. She threw back her head, hair falling over her shoulders. This was different than when he made her come on his fingers or mouth. Now, she had something hard to fill her up, to crash against. There was no room inside her to push down, so the contractions rippled out, shaking her down to her bones.</p><p>He supported her through it, his own orgasm following not far behind. She sighed at the feeling, arms wrapping around his shoulders as her muscles gave out. For a long time, they just sat there, holding each other. Eva was pretty sure she’d lost all feeling below the waist. There was nothing but tingles all over her body, and this nice, lazy relaxation. She enjoyed it immensely.</p><p>Later, when they’d finally gotten dressed, he’d told her that he did need to go raid that bar, but that he’d call her later to see if she wanted him to come by. By the door, he kissed her over and over, before saying that he really did need to go, and that he would try to get back before sun down.</p><p>When he did actually leave (several kisses later), Eva laid back on her bed. She could still smell him in the sheets. She lazed for most of the day, smiling wide when the phone rang in the late afternoon.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Eva sat in the conference room, trying hard not to fidget. Javier and Steve were to her left, and there was a projector sitting behind the table. None of them knew why they were sitting there. None of them knew when the meeting would start. All that they were told was that they were supposed to be sitting in that room by nine am that day. No exceptions.</p>
<p>The air kicked on, filling the room with a dull drone. Eva grabbed her pen and held it in her palm, using her thumb to slide the cap up and down along the length of it. She wanted to get up and take a lap around the room to excise some of the nervous energy she felt.</p>
<p>Javier lit a cigarette, sinking down lower into his chair, looking annoyed, “How long’ve we been sitting here?”</p>
<p>Steve looked at his watch, “About twenty minutes.”</p>
<p>“Fuck me,” Javier groaned, rubbing his eye, “I got about a thousand pages of paperwork that need to get done and we’re sitting here with our thumbs up our asses.”</p>
<p>She had to agree. She’d gotten a little behind with reading through case files. Although she was used to redacted information, she wasn’t used to whole sections of them being completely missing. As she moved through the most recent information, that was occurring more and more often. She thought she’d gotten the mole over two months ago, but now… there had to be more than one.</p>
<p>The door opened and Vanessa walked in. Eva inhaled deeply, her grip on the pen tightening until she heard the plastic crack. Jaw clenched, she sat up and prepared herself for the inevitable. Unable to help it, she glanced at the two agents she’d worked with so closely, already mourning the friendship they’d started to develop. She wondered if Connie would be calling to cancel their work out tonight.</p>
<p>Blinking, she turned her attention to the woman who signed her paychecks.</p>
<p>“Hello, thank you for waiting. I’m Vanessa Arnold.”</p>
<p>A tall, stately woman, dressed in a crisp suit, Vanessa looked at them with a critical gaze. She addressed each of them in turn, welcoming them to the meeting. Eva’s eyes narrowed as Vanessa sorted the stack of files in front of her. She knew those files—well worn over the years, and slowly growing.</p>
<p>“I am here,” she announced, her expression business placid, “Because I’ve heard some disturbing information and I would like to give you the opportunity to address it.”</p>
<p>Next to her, Javier stubbed out his cigarette, “What kind of information?”</p>
<p>Vanessa smiled, it was not a nice smile, “It has been reported to the States that you are engaging in some inappropriate behavior.”</p>
<p>Javier and Steve looked at each other, a whole conversation passing between them that Eva wasn’t sure she could decipher. Steve, who was sitting next to her, put his elbows on the table, resting his head on his hands. Javier stayed where he was, but she could feel the heat of the glare he leveled at Vanessa.</p>
<p>“Now, we deal with some very serious things, and sometimes that wears us down.” Standing, Vanessa circled the conference table, hand skimming over the chairs. “Sometimes, that leads us to forget our boundaries and the expectations of the DEA for its agents.”</p>
<p>Eva’s gaze followed Vanessa as she sauntered towards them, pace excruciatingly slow. She knew where this was going, had attended this meeting at least once in every location she’d been sent to, usually at about the six month mark. And yet, it still hurt. Vanessa knew how to make it hurt.</p>
<p>Javier cleared his throat, “With all due respect, Ms. Arnold, can you get to the point?”</p>
<p>There was that ugly smile again, “Absolutely. I’ve received reports that you and Agent Murphy are participating in social events with <em>M</em><em>r</em><em>s.</em> Moore. Going out to bars, eating lunch together—Agent Murphy, your wife has been attending classes at the gym with Mrs. Moore, has she not?”</p>
<p>Steve’s mouth thinned, “She has. There aren’t many Americans in this country, least of all anyone who might be able to commiserate about life in close quarters with the DEA.”</p>
<p>Vanessa cast him a condescending look, “Still, it doesn’t exactly put you in a positive light, does it?”</p>
<p>Eva could feel the wheels of Steve’s mind turning as he processed what she’d said. He flicked his fingers out in a sharp motion before curling them into his palms, “I don’t understand. Eva is a contract consultant, <em>paid </em><span>by the DEA to work with us. How is associating with her outside of work a negative?”</span></p>
<p>
  <em>Here we go.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Vanessa stepped back and flicked off the lights, then moved to the projector and turned it on, “M</span>
  <span>r</span>
  <span>s. Moore is generally reticent to talk about it, but I feel its important for you to know who you are working with.”</span>
</p>
<p>The projector clicked and Eva’s mug shot flashed onto the wall opposite the group. She closed her eyes, working to control her breathing. She’d been released into police custody right out of the hospital. Her arm was still in a cast, her face heavily swollen and bruised. The picture was not flattering.</p>
<p>“<span>M</span><span>r</span><span>s. Moore was charged and convict</span><span>ed</span><span> of the murder of her husband a few years prior to coming to work for us.”</span></p>
<p>Another click. Her husband’s picture, his professional photo, came up. Josh was impeccably groomed, smile wide and white, eyes clear and sparkling. She bit the inside of her cheek, stunned that she could still feel such hatred towards a person no longer living.</p>
<p>“<span>This is Joshua </span><span>Moore. A prominent doctor and businessman out of Louisiana. His practice was located just outside of New Orleans. He was most well known for donating large amounts to charities across the state.”</span></p>
<p>
  <em>For the tax write off. And, to get the votes of the city councils.</em>
</p>
<p>Click. Their wedding picture. Eva felt bile rise in her throat. Fourteen years old, looking like a baby next to a twenty five year old who’d just started working for the local hospital. Her mother had picked out her dress—a frilly, lace encrusted thing that was a touch too long. She remembered how much her feet hurt from walking in the heels she needed to wear to keep the thing from dragging too much down the aisle. Standing at the altar had been excruciating enough that she’d stumbled over her vows.</p>
<p>“By all accounts, Mrs. Moore and her husband had a passionate relationship.”</p>
<p>
  <em>Passionate is one way to put it.</em>
</p>
<p>In the beginning, she’d fought him when she thought he was being unfair. He’d scream, punch doors, throw things, eventually things devolved into physical beatings. It only took about a year for her to stop fighting and just do what he wanted. It was easier that way. Soon enough, he figured out how good she was at hiding things—money, product, herself—and he let her in on the family business.</p>
<p>Click. Their blood covered carpet with his outline marked in tape.</p>
<p>“One night, things got out of hand. Mr. Moore unfortunately lost his life at the hands of his wife.”</p>
<p>God, could she be a little less dramatic? Her voice had lowered down to a soft, sweet sound that grated on every nerve Eva had. She felt her mouth lift in a sneer before she could check the motion. Sniffing, she relaxed the muscles of her face, looking forward at the picture dispassionately.</p>
<p>Click. The trail of blood leading from the living room out the back door.</p>
<p>“When police arrived on the scene, Mr. Moore was found in the back yard, on fire. Autopsy reports state that he was set aflame post mortem. His cause of death was confirmed as blunt force trauma to the skull.”</p>
<p>Click. Her husband’s dead body, skin black and burned down to bone, laying atop a cart. Click. A close up of his face, half the skull missing. In bottom right corner, there was a little ‘R’ marked in what looked to be black permanent marker. This was the only new aspect of the photos. Every location. Every six months. Every photo. She’d seen them over and over and had them memorized. It didn’t seem possible that this little song and dance could still make her angry, but it did. She was tired of paying for a justifiable action she’d taken to save her own life.</p>
<p>Vanessa left the last photo up, moving to stand before them, one hand slipping into the pocket of her slacks. Eva kept her gaze steady, ready to take what would come next, the words that she’d heard for many years.</p>
<p>“Gentleman, you’re sitting next to a cold blooded murder, a person who took a life that was privileged and beat it to death with a fire extinguisher. Think about what kind of person could do that to someone they loved. This about who she would have to be to drag a dead body out of her house and set it on fire. Think about how associating with that kind of person reflects on you and your careers.”</p>
<p>The silence that followed was familiar and tense. Both men looking at Vanessa—Javier gently tapping his forefinger on the table, Steve with his head on his hands.</p>
<p>Vanessa’s eyes narrowed, but she kept smiling, “I’m going to let you keep thinking on that. Thank you for coming in. Have a nice day.”</p>
<p>And then she as striding out, her heels clicking on the tile. Eva watched her go, the door closing gently behind her. Eva just caught the face of that department head she’d nearly forgotten about as he approached Vanessa in the hall. She let the sneer form on her mouth, knowing that the rumor mill would start almost immediately.</p>
<p>The air in the room felt oppressive, the darkness only adding more pressure. Eva pushed a breath through her nose, scratching at the skin above her eyebrow as she tried to think of something to say.</p>
<p>Javier spoke for her, “What a load of bullshit.”</p>
<p>She couldn’t help it. She laughed. It was, indeed, a load of bullshit. She’d never had someone put it so succinctly so quickly following the presentation.</p>
<p>Steve leaned back in his seat, smashing the power button on the projector. It turned off with the groaning hiss of an air fan, leaving the room completely dark. Eva took the opportunity to swallow back the old feelings that had been drudged up in the last ten minutes. <em>Ten minutes</em>. That’s all it took for her to feel like shit again. She <em>fucking hated</em> Vanessa.</p>
<p>Javier stood up and flicked on the lights, returning to his seat and sitting heavily. He pulled his cigarettes from his pocket and lit one, offering the pack to Steve, who took it. Eva folded her hands over her chest and waited for someone to speak.</p>
<p>Steve tapped off ash into a faceted glass tray, “So that’s why you told us about it early on.”</p>
<p>“That’s why I told you about it early on,” Eva confirmed with a nod.</p>
<p>Javier blew out a lungful of smoke, “She do this often?”</p>
<p>“Yeah.”</p>
<p>“How often?”</p>
<p>“Every time, with every team.”</p>
<p>He nodded, leaning his forearms on the table, “You notice she left your files.”</p>
<p>“Yep,” Eva bit out.</p>
<p>It was a perfect strategy. If she hadn’t been up front about her husband, it would be impossible for anyone to ignore the fact that the whole story, in black and white, was sitting right there.</p>
<p>Steve reached out and placed his hand next to her on the tabletop, “You want us to read through it.”</p>
<p>She shrugged, “You can, if you want. Its a nicely worded story. Not too flattering to me, of course.”</p>
<p>They looked at each other for a few seconds, another private conversation passing between them. She kept her expression neutral, not wanting to sway them one way or another.</p>
<p>Steve threw the butt of his cigarette into the tray, “Connie and I are having a pool party next weekend. You want to come? Carrillo, too.”</p>
<p>Eva felt her jaw drop, didn’t bother to conceal her shock, “You want me to come to a party.”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” he said, his mouth curling into a smile, “Maybe you can convince Javi, here, to put on a swim suit.”</p>
<p>“I wear swim trunks,” Javier cut in with mock anger.</p>
<p>Steve rolled his eyes, “Only because Connie won’t let you come if you’re not wearing appropriate attire.” Then, to Eva, “You got a suit?”</p>
<p>She nodded, “I do.”</p>
<p>“Good, bring a bottle of booze, and you’re set.”</p>
<p>Eva sat there, staring at him, her mouth open. It was one thing for her to tell them what she’d done. It was another thing to come face to face with pictures of her husband’s mutilated body and react with, what? Nonchalance?</p>
<p>Steve leaned towards her, “Connie wouldn’t be alive if you hadn’t gotten her out of that restaurant. I don’t give a shit what you did to that guy. What you did, here? That’s what counts.”</p>
<p>She looked between them. Javier wasn’t talking, but he nodded as Steve spoke, offering silent support. Eva felt her chest constrict with a soft affection for them both. The relief was a physical thing, exhaling with her next breath.</p>
<p>“Thank you.”</p>
<p>Steve shrugged, “Don’t mention it. Vodka—bring a bottle. Wear your suit.”</p>
<p>As it turned out, Connie did not cancel their work out that night. She met Eva outside the gym at their regular time, looking at her like a friend. Eva had to cough into her hand to hide the surprised little shriek that wanted to burst out of her when the woman came into view.</p>
<p>They spent the hour sweating and huffing through a one challenging set after another, the sound of the instructor’s voice coaching them through the movements. Afterwards, Eva slumped on the bench, tossing back water and toweling off her face.</p>
<p>“That was fun,” Connie commented from her spot next to her.</p>
<p>Eva sent her a sidelong glance, “Fun is not the word I would use.”</p>
<p>Fun was sitting at a bar, drinking and hollering at the band. Fun was watching a ball game or shopping for new clothes. What they had just done was hard work—muscle burning, lung searing, skin sizzling hard work. Still, Eva enjoyed it, needed the release of endorphins.</p>
<p>“You know, one of the things I look forward to when I get back to the states is flaunting my newly hot body when I see those skinny bitches at my high school reunion.”</p>
<p>Eva laughed, “You’ll be the talk of the party—look at those biceps.”</p>
<p>Connie flexed, smiling wide, “Gotta get me one of those strapless, backless dresses, just to show off.”</p>
<p>“Oh, Steve’ll love that.”</p>
<p>“He would,” Connie said with a coy little tilt of her shoulders. “He tell you about the party?”</p>
<p>Eva nodded, “Yeah, I’ve been tasked with bringing a bottle of vodka.”</p>
<p>“And wearing a suit,” Connie asserted, pointing at Eva.</p>
<p>“I have one, don’t worry.”</p>
<p>“I want everyone dressed for the occasion, no office wear allowed.”</p>
<p>“Ah, damn, I’ll have to leave my pencil skirt at home.”</p>
<p>Connie rolled her eyes, “I’m so glad I get to wear scrubs. My feet still hurt at the end of the day, but at least its not from wearing heels.”</p>
<p>Eva took another long swig, “Yeah, but you do have to be one your feet all day. At least I get to sit down.”</p>
<p>“Pros and cons.”</p>
<p>Eva nodded, “Agreed. Pros and cons.”</p>
<p>“So, are you ever going to tell me what’s going on with you and Carrillo? Steve says you’ve been seeing him.”</p>
<p>Eva set down the water bottle. She’d been wondering, herself, when Connie was going to bring it up. Despite their weekly gym excursions, she hadn’t pushed. Eva was grateful—she didn’t really know how she’d characterize her relationship with the man. They weren’t...like, boyfriend and girlfriend. At least, not how she’d known the concept back before she’d been married. Companions, maybe. Friends, definitely. Friends who slept together. Friends with benefits? That felt too trivializing.</p>
<p>“We’ve gone out a few times,” Eva edged, standing and motioning for Connie to follow.</p>
<p>They walked towards the bathrooms, the humidity spiking from the showers as they passed through the doors.</p>
<p>“And?”</p>
<p>Eva opened her locker and pulled out her gym back, rustling around for her change of clothes, “And...I don’t know.”</p>
<p>“You don’t know?”</p>
<p>Sighing, Eva stood up and looked at Connie, “I don’t. Not really. I’m only on assignment here for another six months or so. I like him. I like spending time with him. I don’t know where I am from there.”</p>
<p>Connie fixed her with a level look, “You don’t want to get into anything serious because you think you’re leaving in six months.”</p>
<p>Eva thought about it,“Yes.”</p>
<p>“But, you like him enough that you’re willing to go out with him even though it might end sooner rather than later.”</p>
<p>Eva thought again, “Yes.”</p>
<p>She gave a little bob of her head, “That’s fair. Steve says he’s pretty intense.”</p>
<p>Eva didn’t have to think about that one, “Yes.”</p>
<p>“Is that all you’re going to say?”</p>
<p>Eva’s face scrunched, “You want me to say more?”</p>
<p>“Yes, for God’s sake!” Connie burst out, her hands flying in the air, “I want <em>details.”</em></p>
<p>Eva laughed, “Let me get cleaned up and then we can talk details.”</p>
<p>Connie’s eyes narrowed, “Don’t think I’m going to forget. We’re going to the bar and you’re going to tell me everything.”</p>
<p>They did, indeed, go to the bar, although Eva didn’t really tell Connie everything. She talked about their dates, how he’d been polite and conscientious, how she felt when they kissed<em>, </em>and that she hadn’t yet spent the night at his place but she wanted to.</p>
<p>“You know, when I met him, I thought he was terrifying,” Connie commented as she sipped a gin and tonic.</p>
<p>Eva lifted a brow, “Why?”</p>
<p>Thinking for a moment, Connie settled on, “He was just so serious. Like, really, really serious.”</p>
<p>Eva could get that. The man could write a book on taking things seriously. Serious was in his blood. But, she’d seen him soft and sweet, too. She’d seen his dimples as he smiled. Seen his laugh. There was more to him than he showed to the world, more than a hard, scary man. It made her warm inside to think that she got to see that side of him.</p>
<p>“Shame that you don’t think it’ll last,” Connie said, a leading tone in her voice.</p>
<p>Eva brought her beer to her lips, “I have to go home sometime.”</p>
<p>“Where is home, exactly?”</p>
<p>The question caught Eva off guard. She realized that she didn’t exactly know. For a long time, Louisiana was home, and then Texas, and then a host of assignments. Now, it was Colombia. She’d been traveling for so long that she couldn’t root herself down anywhere. She didn’t even know if she wanted to. Her contract end date had been so far away for so long that Eva had never taken the time to work out what she would do afterward. Her record would be cleared, she would no longer be a felon. She would have years of work experience and a tidy little savings.</p>
<p>The possibilities were so numerous that Eva found herself unable to really settle on any one thing that she wanted—except, that wasn’t exactly true. Her heart, down deep, wanted what she might actually be able to have. A too serious, dimple-cheeked man who smelled like tobacco and vetiver.</p>
<p>Connie was looking at her, waiting for her answer. Eva just shrugged and ordered another round of drinks.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The bathing suit still fit. Eva was glad of it, she hadn’t had time to go out and shop for a new one. A cherry red halter top paired with high waisted bottoms, she’d purchased it a year or so previous on a whim and only worn it a handful of times. Being a consultant for the DEA didn’t lend itself to lounging by the water. She threw on a soft cotton cover up, stepped into her sandals, and grabbed the fifth of vodka sitting on her counter before walking over to Steve and Connie’s apartment.</p>
<p>The sun was shining brightly that day, as it did most days. And, like most days, the humidity was high. Eva could feel the heat rising from the asphalt as she crossed the parking lot and made her way down the street. When she got to their door, she shifted the vodka to the crook of her arm and knocked.</p>
<p>The door opened and Steve welcomed her in with a wave of his hand. He was wearing swim trunks and an unbuttoned short sleeve shirt, his hair wet and slicked back. She shuffled inside, putting the vodka in the freezer and heading out through the back door to a rectangular courtyard. The pool was encircled by a black metal fence about waist high. She spotted Connie standing next to Javier at the grill, setting down a plate of uncooked meat. She caught sight of Eva and smiled wide beneath her shades.</p>
<p>“C’mon,” she yelled, waving her hand wildly, “We have the pool for about four hours—til the sun goes down.”</p>
<p>Eva returned the wave, passing through the gate and over to where a few lounge chairs were situated, towels hanging over the back. Umbrellas provided each lounge with some shade from the sun.</p>
<p>“Okay,” Eva said, motioning to the courtyard, “Someone in housing definitely hates me. My shower barely works and you’ve got a fucking pool.”</p>
<p>Connie rolled her eyes, “Yeah, with a schedule so tight and political it could run for president. It took two months of sending brownies to the landlord just to get a half day booked.”</p>
<p>Eva squinted at her, “You have to book time?”</p>
<p>Nodding, Connie gestured for Eva to sit on the lounge chair opposite her, “I know, right? There are families here who have standing appointments months out.”</p>
<p>Steve, having followed Eva outside, called out, “What Connie isn’t telling you is that I slipped a stack of money into one of the brownie pans last week. Only way we got the permission.”</p>
<p>“Can’t you just...jump in?”</p>
<p>Connie’s eyes went wide, “Oh, Jesus. Saw someone try to do that the first week here. The guards fucking swarmed them, hauled ‘em out. Haven’t seen them since.”</p>
<p>
  <em>Sounds about right,</em>
  <span> Eva thought. </span>
  <span>Everything seemed to be a quid pro quo down here. She’d seen a couple agents pay off their informants only to turn around and expense it to the department. </span>
  <span>Money could buy literally anything here.</span>
</p>
<p>“Let me tell you what happened yesterday at work,” Connie sighed, turning to lay back on the lounge, “I started at the NICU four months ago and I thought I had a handle on it. But, oh no, one of the other nurses has been taking my reports and shredding them. So, now my boss thinks I just don’t turn in my work.”</p>
<p>“No way,” Eva blurted out, scandalized.</p>
<p>“<span>Yes, way,” Connie confirmed, pushing her sunglasses up on her nose, “So, I started making copies and locking them in my desk. </span><em>But,</em><span> I found out one of the maintenance guys has been letting her into it and she’s been taking my copies.”</span></p>
<p>Eva rested her head on her palm, mouth curling, “What’re you going to do about it?”</p>
<p>Connie smirked, “A little Ipicac in her morning coffee.”</p>
<p>Brows hitting her hairline, Eva’s mouth dropped. Connie was a forceful woman, could be outright domineering when she wanted something, but this was shocking behavior for her.</p>
<p>“Oh, don’t look at me like that. Its harmless. Just a little vomiting during the staff meeting.”</p>
<p>“Does she know you did it?” Eva’s voice came out as a whisper, as if she was trying to keep the story secret.</p>
<p>“Nope,” Connie shook her head, blonde hair falling over one shoulder, “I was pretty slick about it.”</p>
<p>“I’m sure,” Eva confirmed. “One question: How is the behavior going to stop if she doesn’t know it was you who did it?”</p>
<p>Connie shrugged, “Every time one of my copies goes missing, I’ll do it again. She’ll get the picture eventually. I also had Steve get me a false bottom for my desk. I’ll have a third copy waiting, just in case.”</p>
<p>The smell of meat wafted over, a welcome change from the chlorine. Eva glanced at Javier and Steve, both of them staring at the grill intently. Javier was fidgeting with a metal spatula, forearm wiping at his brow.</p>
<p>“Is that a guy thing? Standing by the grill and watching food cook?”</p>
<p>Even though Eva couldn’t see Connie’s eyes behind her shades, she could tell that the other woman was rolling them, “I guess. Every man I know does it.”</p>
<p>“Same here,” Eva said, eyes squinting. “I mean, they’re not even talking.”</p>
<p>Connie laughed a little, reaching into the cooler and handing Eva a beer. She popped the top for her and grabbed one for herself, “I suppose it could be worse.”</p>
<p>“Could be fireworks.”</p>
<p>Brows raised, Connie asked, “Is there a story there?”</p>
<p>“Ah,” Eva edged, “When I was a kid, my parents used to have this block party on the fourth with this huge fireworks display. One of the neighbors built a potato cannon that they primed with hairspray. One year they shot roman candles out of it.”</p>
<p>Jaw open, Connie took a few seconds to reply, “Did...someone get hurt?”</p>
<p>“Oh, no,” Eva clarified, dismissing the thought with a wave of her hand, “A window got knocked out, but no one got hurt.”</p>
<p>A while later, Eva was fanning herself with her hand, sweat falling down her neck. In the late afternoon, the sun beat down on them. Even with the umbrellas above, Eva could feel her body fighting to keep itself cool. Standing, she pulled off her cover up.</p>
<p>“I’m getting in,” she declared, “I can’t take it any more.”</p>
<p>Connie laughed and stood with her, “I’ll go with you. Nice suit, by the way.”</p>
<p>Eva thanked her, returning the sentiment. Connie was wearing a canary yellow one piece, the thighs cut high to highlight her muscular thighs. She threw off her sunglasses and pulled her hair atop her head into a tight bun. Eva wished she’d thought to bring a hair tie. She’d never really been concerned about the way her hair curled in irregular little ringlets and waves before, but knowing that Horacio would be stopping by afterwards made her a little self conscious. With a little effort, she shrugged it off and darted out to the edge of the pool, jumping in.</p>
<p>
  <span>The water was cool, </span>
  <span>a shock to her body as it enveloped her. Eva felt the air rush out of her lungs as she sunk beneath the surface. Her feet touched down and she kicked hard, breaching the water with a sharply indrawn breath. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>W</span>
  <span>iping the water from her eyes, she laughed at Connie, who had used the ladder to drop daintily into the pool.</span>
</p>
<p>“I haven’t done that since I was a kid,” she said, her cheeks hurting a bit with the force of her smile.</p>
<p>Connie nodded enthusiastically, “We had a pool, too. Above ground. Mom would make us wear pool floats the whole time we were in it.”</p>
<p>Eva shook her head, “I suppose there’s something to be said for safety. I was an only child, so my parents let me do whatever I wanted, mostly.”</p>
<p>“Are they still around?”</p>
<p>Eva swallowed, her eyes falling to the water she was swishing between her fingers, “No, they died a long time ago.”</p>
<p>“Oh, my God,” Connie gasped, “I’m sorry. How did it happen, if you don’t mind me asking?”</p>
<p>“It was an accident,” Eva explained.</p>
<p>
  <span>It was the same explanation that she’d given a million people before and would likely continue to give. A plane crash. No survivors. They were headed to a little resort that Josh had booked for their anniversary. Eva could still remember what her mother’s face had looked like when Josh handed her the tickets—excited and charmed. </span>
  <span>It turned her stomach.</span>
</p>
<p>Connie read her expression and approached slowly, arms pushing through the water, “Was it… was it because of your husband? Because of the things he did?”</p>
<p>Eva had been as honest as she could about the things that had occurred in her marriage, had told Connie about the way she learned to cover bruises, about how she used the work to give her purpose even though she knew it resulted in the destruction of people’s lives, about how he hurt her less when she did a good job.</p>
<p>“Yeah,” she croaked. “Um, I tried to run away—had a passport and some cash hidden. I can’t prove it, but I think he killed them to make a point.”</p>
<p>“Jesus fucking Christ, Eva,” Connie breathed. “That’s horrifying.”</p>
<p>Eva blinked at Connie, trying to smile, “It was a long time ago. I’ve made my peace with it.”</p>
<p>“<span>That’s not something you make peace with.”</span></p>
<p>
  <span>She was right, Eva hadn’t </span>
  <em>made peace</em>
  <span> with it, not really. It had taken a long time for her to stop feeling guilty and to place the blame solely on Josh. It was part of the reason that she was able to kill him that night. She’d channeled all that rage into the fight, and she’d finally come out the victor.</span>
</p>
<p>“I got him back, though, didn’t I?” She said, chin lifting.</p>
<p>“Yes, you did.”</p>
<p>
  <span>They swam for a while, until the food was done. Steve called out to them, a pair of tongs clapping together in one hand. </span>
  <span>They ate off paper plates, beers fresh from the </span>
  <span>cooler</span>
  <span> dripping condensation onto the cement below. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After wards, Eva laid back on the lounge, feeling sleepy. She kept a beer next to her, drinking from it lazily. One arm thrown over her head, she stretched her legs out long, enjoying the sun and relaxation. That’s how Horacio found her. Eyes closed, half shaded by the umbrella, suit drying out on her body. </span>
  <span>She </span>
  <span>heard him walk up and sit on the lounge next to her</span>
  <span>s</span>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>Eva opened her eyes and smiled, “Hey.”</p>
<p>“Hey.”</p>
<p>
  <span>She sat up, </span>
  <span>swinging her legs around so that she could face him</span>
  <span>, “You get everything done at work?”</span>
</p>
<p>He nodded, “Got some paperwork in the truck I need to finish. I parked at your place, I hope you don’t mind.”</p>
<p>“That’s no problem, you park there most of the time anyways.”</p>
<p>That was very much the truth. They hadn’t spent many nights away from one another, almost all of them at her place. Horacio told her that he liked her apartment better than his house because it was cozier. Eva could see why. She’d finally gotten to see his house, and it was sparsely decorated, indicative of a man who lived at work and only slept when he had to.</p>
<p>“Did you eat?” she asked.</p>
<p>Another nod, “Since its a Saturday, we order take out for the guys.”</p>
<p>Eva started to reach out to touch him, but the first two fingers of his right hand lifted quickly, stopping the motion.</p>
<p>“There are a lot of eyes here.”</p>
<p>
  <span>Right. Although he hadn’t explained in detail, Javier had let it slip during a meeting that Carillo had a literal bounty on his head. In his fight against the rise of drugs </span>
  <span>in the country, he’d ruffled a lot of feathers. And, that made anyone associated with him vulnerable. When they were in public, he kept a distance between them and, outside of rare occasions, he didn’t touch her. </span>
  <span>The longer they were together, to more strict he became about it.</span>
  <span> Eva was still adjusting.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eva </span>
  <span>pointed to</span>
  <span> the swim trunks he was wearing, “Did you go home to change or did you wear this to the office?”</span>
</p>
<p>Shooting her a sardonic look he asked, “What do you think?”</p>
<p>“<span>I know, I know,” she replied, “God forbid you show up anything less than immaculate.”</span></p>
<p>
  <span>It was probably the only point of contention between them. He always got up early to get dressed for the day. Eva argued constantly that he could go in one day without going through his entire routine, his coworkers wouldn’t notice. He argued back that he was supposed to be setting an example and that meant ironing his undershirt. </span>
  <span>She hadn’t yet managed to convince him to sleep in with her, his internal clock kicking in like….well, clockwork.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Now, though, he was wearing teal colored swim trunks and one of his more casual polo shirts. </span>
  <span>His hair was still combed back from his face, the curls tamed by the pomade he kept next to his aftershave on her bathroom counter. He’d taken a little extra time to shave that morning. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>E</span>
  <span>va gestured towards the cooler, “Go get yourself a beer. Relax for two seconds.”</span>
</p>
<p>She watched him as he rose and sauntered over to the little cooler by the grill, greeting the others along the way. Connie stepped over and sat next to her, leaning a little into Eva’s space.</p>
<p>
  <span>She handed Eva a fresh beer, saying, </span>
  <span>“So… you guys are good?”</span>
</p>
<p>Eva nodded, “Yep.”</p>
<p>Connie stared at her.</p>
<p>“What?”</p>
<p>“You like him.”</p>
<p>Eva snorted, “Of course I like him. We literally discussed this a few days ago.”</p>
<p>“<span>No, I mean you </span><em>really</em><span> like him,” Connie clarified, “You do this thing where the more you want something, the less you talk about it.”</span></p>
<p>Looking at her with a flustered expression, “What the fuck am I supposed to say to that?”</p>
<p>Connie took a swig from the bottle in her hand, “I don’t know, maybe admit that you like him more than you let on and you’re afraid that its going to self destruct because you’re both working dangerous jobs in a dangerous country where one or both of you could be killed and the pressure is a little too high for such a new relationship.” She took a deep breath, “And that scares the shit out of you.”</p>
<p>Eva’s mouth thinned as she regarded her friends, “Way to put it so succinctly.”</p>
<p>“Thank you.” A beat, “So, are you going to admit it?”</p>
<p>Eva glared.</p>
<p>Connie rolled her eyes, “Alright, don’t admit it. We both know its true.”</p>
<p>“<span>Oh, fuck off,” Eva glowered. </span><span>Then, after taking just a moment to think about it, she said, “He thinks I’m going to become a target if they find out.”</span></p>
<p>She didn’t have to say who ‘they’ were. Connie knew, had married into it.</p>
<p>“That’s possible.”</p>
<p>“I don’t know how to prove that I’m not scared. Hell, I was on the other side of this fifteen years ago. I know the risks.”</p>
<p>Connie rolled a shoulder, resting her arms on her knees, her gaze following her husband as he told yet another wild story, “Sounds like you’ve given this a lot of thought.”</p>
<p>“Some thought,” Eva agreed.</p>
<p>“Sounds like you’re willing to take on those risks.”</p>
<p>“Some risks.”</p>
<p>“<span>Sound like you just admitted you like him </span><em>a lot.</em><span>”</span></p>
<p>“Jesus, Connie,” Eva grumbled.</p>
<p>Flashing a smile at Eva, Connie cajoled, “Is it that hard to admit?”</p>
<p>“Given my last long standing relationship ended in literal murder, I would say I’ve got grounds to be cautious.”</p>
<p>Lifting a finger, Connie asserted firmly, “Cautious, not cowardly.”</p>
<p>She had a point. Eva kind of resented her for it.</p>
<p>
  <span>They spent another hour or so talking </span>
  <span>among themselves, until the cooler ran out of beer. </span>
</p>
<p>“I bet that vodka’s good and cold,” Eva announced, heading for the gate. She didn’t bother with a towel or her cover up, already mostly dry from the sun.</p>
<p>Connie threw up her hands, “Yes! There’s orange juice in the fridge. And, another six pack.”</p>
<p>“I’ll help,” Carrillo offered, following Eva towards the door.</p>
<p>
  <span>The sliding glass rumbled as she pulled it open, pushing through the vertical blinds to duck inside. </span>
  <span>The air conditioning hit her hard, goosebumps rising over her skin. She hissed a little bit, rubbing at her arms as she made her way across the kitchen to the fridge. Behind her, the heavy glass door slid closed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>B</span>
  <span>are feet shuffling across the tile, Eva opened the fridge and found the six pack and orange juice, setting them on the counter beside her before pulling the vodka out of the freezer. It was definitely cold enough, the bottle immediately frosting despite the cool air.</span>
</p>
<p>“<span>You know, there’s going to come a time when I’ll be able to out drink Connie, but today is not going to be that day,” </span><span>she </span><span>said with a smile</span><span>.</span></p>
<p>
  <span>E</span>
  <span>va stood and ran abruptly into Horacio, who reached behind her to shut the freezer door, the other hand taking the bottle from her and setting it next to the orange juice and the beer. </span>
  <span>Without further preamble, he leaned down and kissed her hard. </span>
  <span>She squeaked a little, unprepared for it, </span>
  <span>before settling into the motion. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>H</span>
  <span>e pulled away, hands skimming her waist and hips, “</span>
  <span>I’ve been meaning to do that since I got here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>E</span>
  <span>va wrapped her arms around his shoulders, “I think we’ve discussed that you’re free to kiss me whenever you want.”</span>
</p>
<p>“Not always,” he replied, the implication heavy in his tone.</p>
<p>She gave a little bob of her head in understanding, “Still, offer’s on the table.”</p>
<p>“<span>Noted,” he whispered before leaning down and kissing her again. Slower. Deeper. “</span><span>Have I told you how much I like kissing you?”</span></p>
<p>Eva smiled as she ruffled the little hairs on the nape of his neck, “The feeling is mutual.”</p>
<p>Hands spanning her waist, he gazed down the length of her body, “Have I told you how much I like this suit.” His grip tightened the tiniest bit, “So much skin.”</p>
<p>At this, Eva’s smile morphed into an abashed laugh, “You’ve seen me in less.”</p>
<p>His brows quirked, mouth curving into an almost but not quite smile, “Usually, I can touch you.”</p>
<p>“<span>You’re touching me now, </span><span>Big Guy.</span><span>”</span></p>
<p>She watched his lips as he pulled them in between his teeth, pressing lightly before letting go. He pulled her into him until they were pressed together, standing between the counter and the island that separated the kitchen from the living room. Little kisses trailed up her neck to her jaw, and finally to her mouth. Though his arms held her tight, his mouth was soft and gentle, tongue snaking out to taste.</p>
<p>The easiness of the kiss, the fact that they’d been apart for almost a day, the knowledge that once they stepped back outside she couldn’t touch him again until they were safely ensconced in her apartment made Eva greedy to have what she could, when she could. Despite the fact that he wasn’t doing much more than holding her, she felt the echo of arousal bloom in her belly. Lifting up onto her toes, she deepened the kiss, tilting her hips into him.</p>
<p>
  <span>His response was...absolutely to be expected. Thigh pushing between her legs, he walked her back to the counter until it dug into her lower back. </span>
  <span>One hand came up to grip her damp hair, angling her head back so that he could press his face into her neck. Eva tried to roll her chin down to get at him again, but he held her still. </span>
</p>
<p>Dark eyes looked up at her from beneath his lashes, “As soon as we get back to your apartment.”</p>
<p>It took her maybe half a second to process his meaning, and then she was giving a quick jerk of her head. He breathed deeply, taking in her scent, before stepping away. Shoulders tense, he picked up the orange juice and six pack and gesturing towards the sliding glass doors.</p>
<p>
  <span>With shaking hands, Eva grabbed the vodka, thankful for the freezing bottle. </span>
  <span>She pressed it to her belly, walking ahead of Horacio. By the pool, the group had gathered on the lounge chairs. </span>
</p>
<p>Eva held up the bottle as she approached, “I come bearing gifts!”</p>
<p>“Ah, Jesus,” Javier groaned, leaning over to stage whisper to Steve, “I don’t think I’m up for this.”</p>
<p>Connie rolled her eyes as she took to bottle from Eva, cracking it open, “Man up, Javier. This is a party.”</p>
<p>He reached into the pocket of his jacket, hanging from the back of the chair, he pulled out a pack of cigarettes, “All your parties end in fights.”</p>
<p>“<span>Excuse me,” Connie retorted, offended, “</span><em>One party</em><span> ended in a fight, thank you very much.”</span></p>
<p>Eva frowned, “Is this the bar fight, gun fight?”</p>
<p>Beside Connie, Steve dropped his head into his palm, shaking it. Javier took a drag and blew out the smoke. Connie glared.</p>
<p>“<span>So, here’s what happened,” Javier said, making room for Carrillo to sit by him. “We’re at a work thing, schmoozing with the big wigs in the department. Usual stuff. One guy gets a little drunk and makes a pass at Connie, who proceeds to </span><span>grab his hand and break it.”</span></p>
<p>“Sprain it,” Connie cut in. “I sprained it. Barely.”</p>
<p>Javier scoffed, “Anyways, the guy happens to be a major player for this political group who gave us money. They don’t give us money anymore.”</p>
<p>Connie handed Eva a cup—vodka and orange juice, “What was I supposed to do? Let the guy grab my ass in a room full of people.”</p>
<p>Eva thought about it, “I agree with Connie. Break his fucking hand.”</p>
<p>“Thank you,” Connie said, touching Eva’s arm in solidarity.</p>
<p>“<span>One thing I don’t understand,” Eva said, crossing one leg over the other, “How is that a fight?”</span></p>
<p>Javier’s brows lifted as he recalled, “Oh, right. Steve got in the guy’s face.”</p>
<p>Eva made a sound of disbelief, “Alright, no. This wasn’t Connie’s fault, Steve’s the one who escalated things.”</p>
<p>“What was I supposed to do?” he echoed Connie’s sentiment.</p>
<p>She shrugged, “I’m not the best person to answer that question.”</p>
<p>Three pairs of eyes crept over to Carrillo, who was already shaking his head, “I probably would have done the same.”</p>
<p><span>Eva had to take a deep drink from her cup to cover the expression unfolding on her face. She couldn’t help the image of him pushing into someone’s space, a threat spoken lowly. </span><span>His thick frame blocking any hope of escape.</span> <span>Eva thought she’d like to see that someday.</span></p>
<p>“That’s not the point,” Javier cut in.</p>
<p>“What is the point?” Connie asked.</p>
<p>“That your parties end in fights.”</p>
<p>“<em>One party—</em><span>not even </span><em>my </em><span>party.</span><span>”</span></p>
<p>“Oh, for Christ’s sake,” Eva blurted, setting down her cup. She grabbed Connie’s hand, “Let’s go.”</p>
<p>
  <span>T</span>
  <span>ugging the woman along, Eva hauled ass towards the pool tumbling headfirst into the water. </span>
  <span>She heard a second splash nearby, and she smiled beneath water as she kicked to the surface. Breaching, Eva pushed her hair back from her face, her eyes going wide as she caught a body flying over her, sending a wave of water over her. She ducked under, hearing a third splash.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Coming up laughing, she spotted both Javier and Steve swimming away, Connie following not far behind, shouting. </span>
  <span>She looked up, smiling at Carrillo, who was popping to top off a beer.</span>
</p>
<p>“You gonna join us?”</p>
<p>He looked dubious.</p>
<p>“Oh, don’t tell me you can’t swim,” Eva wheedled before ducking down and pushing off the edge of the pool to shoot out towards the center.</p>
<p>
  <span>She popped up next to Javier, dodging Connie as she pushed him under. Tiptoeing around Steve, Eva put a little distance between them, her wide smile dropping as she looked down to the other side. </span>
  <span>Carrillo had set down his beer and was walking towards the pool, </span>
  <span>tugging off his polo. </span>
  <span>She would never, ever get used to it. Eva had spent many nights holding onto those shoulders, feeling him move between her thighs, and she was still struck dumb. He caught her eye, and though his expression didn’t change, she could tell that he </span>
  <span>was gloating. With sure movements, he gave a little bounce and then his arms swung forward as he executed a seamless dive into the pool.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>R</span>
  <span>ighting herself, Eva </span>
  <span>leaned against the wall of the pool, flicking water at Connie, who swam up beside her.</span>
</p>
<p>“Please tell me you…”</p>
<p>“Yeah.”</p>
<p>“And its…”</p>
<p>“Yeah.”</p>
<p>“Really?”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Eva confirmed with a long sigh.</p>
<p>
  <span>T</span>
  <span>hey relaxed in the water as the sun started it descent towards the horizon. Eva held her position against the wall, talking with Connie and trying like hell to keep her eyes and her hands off Horacio. </span>
  <span>It seemed all too easy for him to act casually—a little sarcasm here, a little small talk there. She envied that ability. Her body, already attuned to him, seemed constantly on edge. Anticipation simmering under her skin to the point that she was surprised the water around her wasn’t gently steaming.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Too soon, a couple men in uniforms approached the gate, </span>
  <span>yelling out</span>
  <span> towards them. Connie grumbled and loudly announced that their time was at an end. </span>
  <span>They were, evidently, being forced out. After gathering the cooler and towels, they headed inside.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>T</span>
  <span>he phone </span>
  <span>was ringing</span>
  <span>, pausing the conversation for a moment. Steve answered it, speaking for a few minutes, </span>
  <span>then hanging it up. </span>
  <span>He looked annoyed.</span>
</p>
<p>“Well, looks like we’re heading into the office tomorrow.”</p>
<p>Connie scowled, “Its a Sunday.”</p>
<p>“Doesn’t matter,” Steve replied with a shake of his head, “We’ve got a meeting. You too, Carrillo.”</p>
<p>Beside her, Carrillo put his hands on his hips, “They tell you want its about?”</p>
<p>“<span>Nope, just said we report in at eight.”</span></p>
<p>Eva pushed her wet hair back from her face then pulled her cover up over her body despite the fact that her suit was still pretty wet, “They say anything about me coming in?”</p>
<p>Steve opened the cooler and popped the top off another beer, “No. I think its just us three.”</p>
<p>She nodded. Highly classified meeting, then. She didn’t want to admit that she felt left out, so she shrugged and said, “Alright. I’m going to head home. Thank you for having me over, Connie.”</p>
<p>Connie hugged her, “Thanks for coming over and saving me from hearing more about office politics.”</p>
<p>They said their goodbyes and Eva headed out into the night, stars just beginning to shine above her. A little tipsy, she strolled along leisurely, not surprised when Carrillo followed.</p>
<p>“<span>That was really fun,” she said when he moved up beside her, keeping pace.</span></p>
<p>
  <span>H</span>
  <span>e made a noncommittal sound, his gaze focused in front of them.</span>
</p>
<p>“When was the last time you actually spent a weekend afternoon not attached to your desk doing paperwork?”</p>
<p>Or, attached to her kitchen island, or the little dining room table in the nook of his house. More often than not, he brought files home with him. Eva had seen him sign his name so many times she could have probably forged it by now.</p>
<p>Lifting a shoulder, he replied, “Its been a long time.”</p>
<p>
  <span>Eva scratched at the skin above her brow, a little unsure of herself, “</span>
  <span>You should do things for fun more often.”</span>
</p>
<p>He looked at her, “I assume you have ideas.”</p>
<p>“<span>I might,” she said coyly, spinning to walk backwards in front of him, “</span><span>There’s apparently some beautiful scenery, here. We could go hiking.”</span></p>
<p>His brows lifted and she could see a ghost of a smile, “We could do that.”</p>
<p>“Alright, its decided, then. We’ll go hiking when you get some time off.”</p>
<p>
  <span>Eva knew that it was a long shot that he’d have more than a day off at a time, if past history was anything to go by. </span>
  <span>Still, it was nice to make plans, ambiguous as the timing may be. </span>
  <span>She hadn’t ever made plans like this before, and the prospect made her warm inside.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keying into her apartment, Eva left the door open for him to come in. She started to say something innocuous about being home again, but she was cut off. </span>
  <span>Horacio grabbed her by the arm, pulling her into his body and kissed her. She gave a stilted gasp, arms coming up to rest on his biceps.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>H</span>
  <span>ands traveling down her body, he scrunched the fabric of her cover up in his palms, pulling it up and over her head. When he slipped the pads of his fingers down into her suit bottoms, Eva stepped back, pulling him along with her.</span>
</p>
<p>“<span>I have to get this chlorine out of my hair,” she explained, pacing backwards towards the bathroom, “</span><span>You want to join me?”</span></p>
<p>
  <span>F</span>
  <span>ire sparked in his eyes, his steps guiding her back and into her bedroom, rounding the corner and pushing her into the bathroom. As she moved to turn on the taps, he pulled at the ties of her top, throwing the fabric to the floor. After doing the same with her bottoms, he yanked her back into his chest, on</span>
  <span>e</span>
  <span> hand tracing down her stomach </span>
  <span>in a confident caress</span>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He cupped her mound, fingers sliding through her folds and pressing firmly. Eva swallowed back a moan, head tipped back as he kissed along her shoulder down to her collarbone. </span>
  <span>Steam began to fill the room, heat wafting from the shower. She reluctantly pulled away, tugging off his shirt and swim trunks and stepping into the spray.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eva half expected that he would push her against the tile and fuck her against it. </span>
  <span>His touch was impatient in a way that was new and shot heat straight into her core.</span>
  <span> She was, </span>
  <span>however,</span>
  <span> surprised to find that he reached down and grabbed her shampoo, lathering it through her strands thoroughly. </span>
  <span>He crowded her under the water, tilting her head around to rinse the suds away. </span>
  <span>She watched him grab a loofah and pour some body wash on it, her skin sizzling with anticipation. </span>
</p>
<p><span>Long, careful strokes swept the pool water from her body. She could feel the arousal that was always at a low simmer ramping up even though h</span><span>is touch wasn’t remotely sexual.</span> <span>Unable to help herself, she pressed a kiss to his sternum, resting her forehead against his chest. He sighed, his arms wrapping around he</span><span>r.</span></p>
<p>
  <span>W</span>
  <span>anting to return the favor, Eva reached back and took the loofah from him, running it over his broad chest, his stomach, his thighs. Though his erection bobbed up between them, she avoided it for the moment. Switching sides with him, she let the water fall over hi</span>
  <span>s body</span>
  <span>, her hands pushing the soap down towards the tub.</span>
</p>
<p>Dropping the loofah, Eva grabbed the shampoo and poured just a little into her hand, arms lifting to gently scrub it through his curls, finally free of the pomade he regularly combed through it. Using her nails, she lightly scratched at his scalp, smiling when his eyes closed in pleasure. Tilting his head back, Eva rinsed the shampoo from his hair, hands tracing down his face and neck.</p>
<p>Leaning down, Horacio’s lips found hers, his tongue darting out to taste. The water falling over his back sluiced down to run between her breasts and down her stomach. Eva pressed against him rolling her hips invitingly.</p>
<p>
  <span>He broke the kiss with a moan, one hand grabbing her ass. </span>
  <span>Eva knew that, if she didn’t act quickly, he’d slot his fingers inside her and she would cease to be able to think, let alone respond. </span>
  <span>The omega in her loved that he was taking care of her, reveled in it, even. But the omega in her also wanted to make him want her just as much as she wanted him, wanted him feeling wild with it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lightly, so as to not give herself away, Eva traced down his chest, palm turning so that she could grasp him in her hand. </span>
  <span>He rested his forehead against her temple, mouth open, breath stuttering. She pumped him slowly, but firmly, wrist twisting at the top. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When the hand holding her hip started </span>
  <span>t</span>
  <span>o dip down towards her center, Eva stopped him, holding him by the wrist. </span>
  <span>She kissed him, teeth catching at his lower lip. The wrist in her palm flexed as he tried to pull free. Eva shook her head, stroking him just a little faster. He groaned, pushing his thigh between hers, using the hand on her ass as leverage to drag her clit against him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He breathed her name, the sound of it loud against the tiled walls. </span>
  <span>Eva felt her chest swell at the strain in his tone, power building with every choked moan, every sigh. She watched him lick his lips, her gaze dropping to his cock. He was hard, pulsing, his hips tilting towards her. </span>
  <span>It was a sight that she knew would always be with her, a feverish memory locked intimately with his scent.</span>
</p>
<p>As she contemplated dropping to her knees, the water began to turn cold. Eva laughed as he hissed, spinning to turn off the faucet. When he looked at her, Eva’s laughed faded, blood rushing in her ears at the intensity of his expression. He ushered her out of the tub, hands pushing her forward. Impatient, he hauled her up and over his shoulder, walking quickly to the bed.</p>
<p>
  <span>He tossed her down, her body bouncing with the force. </span>
  <span>Eva watched him crawl over her, the muscles of his body flexing with every motion. More deep, intense kisses followed, his hands arranging her beneath him. When she reached for him, he swatted her away, lifting to his knees. Balanced over her, Horacio opened the nightstand to grab a condom.</span>
</p>
<p>When he paused, brows together, Eva asked him what was wrong, her voice a hoarse rasp.</p>
<p>His eyes closed, his chin dropping to his chest, “We’re out.”</p>
<p>She squinted up at him, “Out?”</p>
<p>“Of condoms, we’re out.”</p>
<p>
  <span>That was impossible. She’d gone out and bought some maybe two days ago, they couldn’t possibly…Her brain very eagerly explained that they had been having </span>
  <em>a lot</em>
  <span> of sex. </span>
  <span>Eva tried to suppress it, but the giggle burst forth, her hands coming up to cover her face.</span>
</p>
<p>Horacio looked down at her, mouth half smiling, “I’m glad you’re amused.”</p>
<p>Affectionately, Eva pulled him down to her, rolling them to their sides, “C’mere.”</p>
<p>
  <span>Her name was a warning as it passed his lips, but she shut him up with a kiss. </span>
  <span>Stroking along his </span>
  <span>skin</span>
  <span>, Eva kept kissing him until he relaxed against her, big body falling deep into the mattress. Arms wrapping around her, he rolled to his back, pulling one of her legs over his thigh. Hands on her hips, he encouraged her to move on him. </span>
</p>
<p>Eva couldn’t get close enough, her hands falling to his shoulders, using them to help her get friction on her clit. She ground down on him, her slick coating his skin and easing the movement. Still, she couldn’t quite get there. Her arousal burned through her, soaking into her very bones, but she couldn’t make herself come.</p>
<p>
  <span>Sweat beaded on her temples, her muscles burning. She bit down on her lip, eyes closed. </span>
  <span>It wasn’t going to work, not when she could feel him pressed against her hip. Not when all she wanted was to be stuffed so full of him that she could barely move. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Shifting, Eva waver</span>
  <span>ed</span>
  <span> over hi</span>
  <span>s body</span>
  <span>, weight on her palms as she kissed him, licking into his mouth. Moving determinedly, she opened her hips and swung her leg up and over, straddling him. The first contact seared through her, and her body screamed out that this was </span>
  <em>much better</em>
  <span>. </span>
  <span>She rocked against him, hands falling to his chest for balance.</span>
</p>
<p>“<span>Yes,” he breathed, urging her faster, hands pulling at her hips, her thighs, “Like that, just like that.”</span></p>
<p>
  <span>Eva picked up the rhythm he was guiding her to, her body working to get off. This was so, so much better, but she</span>
  <em> still </em>
  <span>couldn’t get there. She </span>
  <span>felt on fire from it</span>
  <span>, a whimpering, desperate mess. </span>
  <span>The orgasm was so fucking close, but not even his thumb circling over her clit was pushing her over the edge. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He pulled her down, sandwiching his cock between them, hips arching towards her. </span>
  <span>Horacio planted kiss after kiss over her neck, her chest, her jawline, her mouth. Little yearning growls sounded in the space between them. Eva pulled her knees beneath her, letting her hips open so that she could rub as much of her pussy against him as she could. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>E</span>
  <span>very upward thrust brushed against her clit, every twist of her hips, coated him from root to tip. </span>
  <span>The pace picked up, and Eva’s eyes rolled back when their bodies aligned perfectly so that the head breached her just a little, sliding in then out and along the length of her folds.</span>
</p>
<p>Eva moaned his name, her nails digging into his shoulders. Beneath her, Horacio groaned long and low, eyes squeezed shut. Suddenly, he rolled her over, most of his weight falling atop her. His hands held her to the mattress so that he could grind down on her. Even though she could barely breathe, Eva let out a pleased gasp. The force of his body pushing against her, the way he buried his face in her neck, arms holding her tight, all of it pushed her pleasure higher.</p>
<p>“<span>So good, so good,” she chanted, hands in his hair. </span></p>
<p>
  <span>L</span>
  <span>ifting a little, he looked down between them, his cock pushing up through her her folds, wet and swollen. </span>
  <span>Hips fluid, he grabbed her ass in one hand, pulling her to him. Eva braced her feet on the mattress, shifting beneath him to get that feeling of him opening her up just a bit. </span>
  <span>It was </span>
  <em>almost</em>
  <span> enough, </span>
  <span>that tiny breach followed by a hard drag across her clit.</span>
</p>
<p>Giving a frustrated grunt, he dropped onto an elbow, catching her chin and forcing her to look at him, “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but you have to stop trying to fuck me, Eva.”</p>
<p>
  <span>She whined, wrapping her fingers around his wrist, “I can’t help it. I </span>
  <em>want it. </em>
  <em>Please, Horacio.</em>
  <span>” She stole a kiss, “Feels so good with you inside me. Love when you fuck me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Against her, he pulsed, hips jerking. He blinked down at her, jaw unhinged. Deep breaths, grip tight, “</span>
  <em>Evangeline</em>
  <span>. Listen...listen. I’m gonna.” The thought alone seemed to spur him on, movements snapping against her, “I’m gonna… you need to listen. When I tell you, you need to let me pull out.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eager, she nodded, taking another kiss as he lined himself up and pushed inside. </span>
  <em>This</em>
  <span>, this was what she needed. Fuck, but he felt bigger </span>
  <span>than he ever had</span>
  <span>, the stretch tight. Eva arched, pushing her breasts into his chest, neck exposed for him to mouth along. </span>
  <span>Her body </span>
  <span>clenched</span>
  <span> so tight he couldn’t get more than an inch or two in</span>
  <span>side</span>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p>“<em>Fuck, </em><span>Eva. You </span><em>have to let me in.</em><span>” </span><span>The words were half growled against her neck, teeth pressed against her skin.</span></p>
<p>
  <span>She </span>
  <span>bit down on her response</span>
  <span>, “I’m </span>
  <em>trying.”</em>
</p>
<p>He pulled back, another thrust stunted by the squeeze of her cunt. His fists clenched beside her head, a wordless groan sounding.</p>
<p>“<em>Try harder.”</em></p>
<p>Eva breathed deeply, trying to form coherent thoughts, “Maybe if you, if I...if you let me on top.”</p>
<p>He shook his head hard, “No. No—feels too good when you ride me.”</p>
<p>A laughed bubbled up, Eva cupped his face, catching his eyes, “Its supposed to feel good.”</p>
<p>“Too good. Come too fast,” he breathed, then, “How are you still so <em>fucking tight</em>?”</p>
<p>He still hadn’t bottomed out inside her, and Eva’s desperation grew every time he pulled out and pushed in again. She wanted him deeper, harder, wanted him to hold her down and leave bruises in his wake. In between breaths a plan formed. Eva reached down and grasped his hips for purchase, pulling him down as she rotated her hips up. <em>Yes, yes!</em> The feeling spanned electric down her spine.</p>
<p>With a curse, he snagged her hands, yanking them above her head, her name a warning on his lips. She arched her back, her hips working against him, moving on him from below. Ignoring a second warning, Eva rolled her hips as best she could, taking him further and further. He’d stilled above her, eyes watching as she moved.</p>
<p>His hands gripped her tighter, voice rough, “Look at you.”</p>
<p>She kept throwing her hips up until she’d worked him all the way inside, the feeling short circuiting any ability to think beyond the ‘<em>more, more more’</em> that chanted in her head.</p>
<p>“There you go,” he praised, “Take what you need. <em>Take it from me</em>.”</p>
<p>The snap of his hips resumed, shoving his cock inside her and hitting every pleasurable spot she had. Eva felt a sharp, high pitched gasp rush out of her. Words fell from her lips, encouraging him, telling him how good it felt, how much she needed him, nonsense syllables rising along with the orgasm that fairly exploded outward from her center, her muscles locking down on him from the inside.</p>
<p>
  <span>He rode her through as much of it as he could before he pulled away, reaching down to stroke himself—fast, hard pumps until he was spilling over her lower stomach. </span>
  <span>Still breathing hard, Eva leaned up and wiped the sweat from his brow, kissing his cheek softly. His come dripped over her mound, falling down over her lips. He watched it with dark eyes, jaw tight.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With one hand, he pushed her back to the mattress, the other threw a leg over his should</span>
  <span>er</span>
  <span> as he </span>
  <span>moved</span>
  <span> down the bed, mouth on her before she could draw her next breath. </span>
  <span>Eva might have had the capacity to be embarrassed by the sounds coming out of her, the choked, half screamed moans, but her body was already skyrocketing towards another orgasm. What pushed her over the edge was the sight of his hand, resting on her pelvic bone, sliding upwards to drag his come over her skin, his eyes watching her face. She threw back her head, cunt clenching down hard enough that her vision blacked out momentarily.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>F</span>
  <span>or a long time, she could only stare at the ceiling as she tried to catch her breath. She felt him move, heard his footsteps, sighed at the warm cloth he dragged over her sensitive skin so tenderly. </span>
  <span>He threw the cloth towards the bathroom, gathering her in his arms. She fell asleep to the feeling of him kissing her shoulder softly.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 10.5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Eva woke, her hands reached out towards the space where he’d been. The sheets were cold, though the pillow still had a little indention on the side closest to her. She flipped over and slid from the bed and pulled on her usual long t shirt, throwing her hair up in a bun as she made her way out into the living room. Feet squishing against the carpet, Eva squinted in the very early morning light filtering through her windows.</p>
<p>The sun was not even quite up yet, casting everything in a blue-gray tone that would momentarily begin to turn pink and orange. Eva rounded the turn into the living room, catching sight of Horacio’s head bent over, his hands tying the laces of his boots.</p>
<p>“Were you going to say goodbye?” she asked, no bite in her tone.</p>
<p>He’d made coffee, the smell pulling her into the kitchen. She reached into the cupboard and pulled down a mug—North Dakota State University, Fargo. Creamer. Sugar. Pour. Eva turned and leaned against he counter, watching him circle around the couch and approach. His face was carefully neutral. She rolled her eyes, drinking deeply.</p>
<p>“You were sleeping,” he offered, reaching over to where his discarded mug was sitting, the Las Vegas one again.</p>
<p>She shrugged, “I wouldn’t have minded if you woke me.”</p>
<p>Nodding, he set the mug in the sink, “I’ll keep that in mind.”</p>
<p>Eva hummed, taking another sip of coffee. Even with the mug sitting right up against her mouth, she could smell him. He’d showered, shaved, put on cologne, but, underneath, it was still there. Her fingers clenched on the mug as she attempted to take nice, calm breaths. It didn’t help. Her mouth felt dry despite the beverage in her hands, her skin prickling with awareness. She asked a question to distract herself.</p>
<p>“How long do you think the meeting will take?”</p>
<p>His brows lifted a little as he thought, “I have no idea. Depends on what it is. Likely, its a debrief from the raid.”</p>
<p>One corner of her mouth turned up, “You haven’t debriefed on that yet?”</p>
<p>“Not officially,” then, “Can I come back afterwards?”</p>
<p>Eva’s heart warmed that he was asking rather than assuming—even more that he looked just a tad bit unsure. She reached out and put her hand on his where it was braced against the counter near her hip.</p>
<p>“I’d be disappointed if you didn’t.”</p>
<p>His smile was soft and happy. She couldn’t resist rising onto her tip toes and placing a quick kiss to that smile. As good as her intentions may have been, it did not end out being a quick kiss. He leaned into her, a breath pushing out through his nose as he wrapped an arm around her middle. On the counter, he rotated his hand, threading their fingers together. Eva moaned lowly, nipping at his lower lip, needing to taste more of him.</p>
<p>Her nerves lit up, heat suffusing every inch of her body. The flesh along her neck and spine tightened, goosebumps rising. She arched up into him, satisfied by the groan the movement seemed to force out of his chest.</p>
<p>Pulling away with a gasp, he said hoarsely, “I really do need to go.”</p>
<p>Eva nodded, mouth open, already using his shoulder to pull herself back up to him. He took the kiss greedily, slipping his hand from hers so that he could reach down under her thighs to set her atop the counter. Stepping into her space, he yanked her hips to the edge. She didn’t have to be encouraged to drape her legs over his thighs.</p>
<p>Rucking up the t shirt, he palmed her breasts, thumbs circling roughly over her nipples. Hips rolling, Eva ran her fingers down the buttons of his uniform, tracing his belt buckle before giving the pronounced bulge below it a firm stroke. Against her mouth, he drew in a deep, shuddering breath. He let her rub along the length of him a few times, before he grasped her wrists and set her hands firmly on either side of her hips. Leaning a little weight on them, he rested his forehead against hers.</p>
<p>“I can’t stay,” he whispered, eyes locked on her folds where they peeked out from under her shirt.</p>
<p>Relaxing the muscles of her hips open, Eva tilted them upwards, giving him a full, generous view of how wet she was. He rocked on his feet, a little growl rumbling in his chest.</p>
<p>“I mean it, Eva. I’m already late.”</p>
<p>Horacio didn’t move, his jaw working, eyes dark. Eva let him look, could feel her body growing even more wet, slick sliding sensuously over her folds.</p>
<p>“I’ll be back,” he said, finally looking at her face. “I’ll go to this meeting and I’ll come back here.”</p>
<p>She smiled coyly, “Stop at the drug store on the way back.”</p>
<p>Seemingly against his will, he huffed out an amused laugh, “I’ll do that.”</p>
<p>When she leaned up to kiss him again, he pulled away, hands constricting around her wrists in warning. Eva let her body fall back, her head knocking against the cabinets. He gave her one more once over, tongue wetting his lips. Then, he was striding out of her apartment without looking back.</p>
<p>Eva sat there for a while, body pulsing. Then, she hopped down and, leaving her coffee on the counter, she headed back to bed.</p>
<p>She woke for the second time that day on the brink of an orgasm, her fingers shoved deeply inside of her, a half formed dreamed lingering in her muddle mind. It took next to nothing to push her over with a sharp cry.</p>
<p>Stunned and heaving, Eva stared at the ceiling until the blood was no longer rushing in her ears. Blinking, she sat up and pushed the hair that had fallen out of her bun from her face.</p>
<p>“Okay,” she said to no one in particular, “I probably needed that.”</p>
<p>Still a little lightheaded, she shoved the comforter down and rolled out of the bed. Moving towards the shower, she yawned wide, stripping the t shirt from her body and throwing it somewhere in the vicinity of her hamper.</p>
<p>The shower was hot and soon the room was filled with steam. She scrubbed at her face, letting the water cascade over her. Her body was still buzzing from her dream, though the details were extremely hazy. The only clear thing she could remember was the feeling of Horacio’s hands running up her legs from ankle to thigh, pushing them open. Everything else was just sensation and the feeling of her body clenching down.</p>
<p>Shivering despite the hot water, Eva grabbed the loofah from where she’d dropped it the night before and drizzled body wash on it. She started to run it over her arms and chest, yelping when the scratch of the fabric bit too deep. Curious, she thumbed over the bundle. It wasn’t any different than it had been less than a day before. Dubiously, she tried again, hissing when the feeling bordered on pain.</p>
<p>Staring at the loofah, Eva bit her lip, wondering at what the fuck was going on. Chucking it to the side, she reached for the shampoo, cleaning her hair, wincing when her nails scratched a little too hard at her scalp. After gingerly rinsing the suds from her hair, Eva turned off the water and steeped out, blindly reaching for a towel.</p>
<p>It took at least ten minutes of starting and stopping to get her body dry, her skin somehow too sensitive for even the soft, fluffy towel. Eva sat on the edge of the tub, the towel hanging from her fingertips, breathing deeply. It felt like she’d brushed her entire body against the front glass of a tv, that fuzzy, electric sizzle radiating all over.</p>
<p>When she was able to stand, Eva padded out to the bedroom and ransacked her dresser for something to wear. Everything she owned was too clingy, too scratchy, too thick. Shoving the drawer closed, she turned and looked around the room desperately. Nothing...nothing...nothing...<em>there!</em></p>
<p>
  <span>Sliding down onto her knees, she dug through the hamper until she pulled out one of his shirts, holding it up with a wide smile. </span>
  <span>Burying her face in it, Eva moaning lowly, inhaling his scent, still relatively fresh. </span>
  <span>On the exhale, a whine escaped her throat, sounding needy even to her own ears. Shaking her head, Eva pulled the shirt over her, the baggy material hanging over-sized on her body.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She inhaled. </span>
  <span>There. That was right.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eyes flicking to the bed, Eva contemplated getting back in </span>
  <span>and sleeping more, but nixed the idea. She wasn’t tired anymore. She was wide awa</span>
  <span>ke</span>
  <span> and filled with a kind of nervous energy that had her bouncing on her feet. </span>
  <span>Tucking her arms against her chest, she scuttled out into the living room and sat heavily on the couch, reaching for the remote.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>S</span>
  <span>he flipped through the channels for a while, finding nothing that was going to hold her attention. </span>
  <span>Distracted, Eva laid back on the cushions. The clock on the wall read nearly eleven. He’d been gone for a few hours, surely the meeting wouldn’t take much longer. She selfishly wanted him back with her, in her arms, in her bed, despite knowing that what he was doing was important. </span>
  <span>Eva chastised herself silently. She could be patient. She </span>
  <em>should</em>
  <span> be patient. He’d come back and then she could…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her mind drifted off into a favored, and closely held fantasy. </span>
  <span>He’d spent hours going down on her over the last few weeks, happily drawing orgasm after orgasm from her. He was always moving inside her by the time her brain kick started again and so she never really got the chance to return the favor. </span>
  <span>The few times she’d tried, he’d tucked two fingers under her chin and pulled her back to his mouth, stopping her thought process entirely. </span>
  <span>Eva knew that she’d have to catch him off guard, which was almost never. He was always scanning the room for threats, no matter where they were, and only very rarely fully relaxed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>I</span>
  <span>t would take effort, but she’d have to wake up before him, press little kisses over his chest, down his stomach, fingers gently rustling the trail of hair leading downwards. It would be easiest to do after one of their late nights, where they were too exhausted to throw on clothes afterwards, sleeping naked and entangled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She could use her hands to gently stroke him, coaxing him to arousal. Eva wondered if she could do it without waking him. He was not a sound sleeper, waking if she so much as turned over in her sleep. She would have to be very, very careful. </span>
  <span>Her mouth watered as she thought about taking him in her mouth. She didn’t think she could take more than a few inches, but she definitely wanted to try. What she couldn’t reach with her lips and tongue, she take in her hands. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Maybe he’d wake as she sucked on the tip, tongue running over the slit. Groggy, it would take a few seconds for him to get his bearings. She imagined he’d suck air between his teeth, hands reaching for her. </span>
  <span>She’d swat them away, focusing on a slow, teasing rhythm. Eva wondered if he’d keep still, letting her do as she liked or if his hips would flex forward, pushing his cock further into her mouth. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>S</span>
  <span>hifting on the couch, Eva bit her lip and ran her hand down her belly to touch herself gingerly. She was wet, messy, and swollen. Moaning, she pushed two fingers inside, curving them up. Pinpoints of pleasure blossomed all over. She used her thumb to circle her clit, her thighs shaking as her arousal spiked. Eva came hard and fast, her mouth open in a soundless cry.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her fingers kept going, winding her higher, high pitched whimpers escaping her throat. </span>
  <span>She ground against her own hand, lips pulled back from her teeth as she sought out that second orgasm. It hit her like a train, her ears ringing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eva panted, sweat pooling below her. </span>
  <span>Her thighs clenched together, an inexplicable pulse in her core. She sat up and looked down at herself, bewildered. She’d just had two deeply pleasing orgasms and she was still fucking horny. That was...not new…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Swinging her legs over the edge, </span>
  <span>Eva stood and paced. Each step created a little friction, her body answering with a dull throb. She grabbed her purse from where she’d thrown it the day before digging for her pack of suppressants. She’d taken them correctly. For safety’s sake, she grabbed her cold coffee from earlier and downed one. Eva knew it would do no good. She was beginning her heat cycle and it was unlikely that it could be stopped now. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>S</span>
  <span>he didn’t know how long she stood there, staring at the sink while she processed this new development, but her phone ringing snapped her out of it. </span>
  <span>Eva stumbled to it, picking it up with a scratchy ‘hello’.</span>
</p>
<p>“Did I wake you?”</p>
<p>
  <em>Oh, God. Dear, sweet lord</em>
  <span>. The sound of his voice made her knees buckle. She had to brace herself against the wall to stay upright. </span>
</p>
<p>“<span>No,” she said with a little bit too much force. “No, I was awake.”</span></p>
<p>There was a beat of silence, then, “Are you alright?”</p>
<p>
  <span>She swallowed a little moan at the concern in his voice, knees pressed together. </span>
  <em>No, I’m not alright. I’m on the upswing of my heat and you’re not here with me.</em>
</p>
<p>“I’m okay.”</p>
<p>“Good,” he replied, “Listen, there’s something that’s come up. We’ve got a real chance at...we could get him this time.”</p>
<p>
  <span>His words were stilted in a way that told Eva he was trying very hard not to be excited by the prospect of catching Escobar. He’d been tracking him for so long and there was a kind of timid hope underlying his tone. She couldn’t do it. She could </span>
  <em>not</em>
  <span> tell him. </span>
</p>
<p>“That’s great,” she managed, working to make her tone happy and bright.</p>
<p>She heard him sigh over the line, “I’m not going to make it back—I’m sorry. We’re heading out to a location pretty deep in the forest, a compound we got a tip about.”</p>
<p>
  <span>Holding her hand over the receiver, Eva took a long, deep breath, </span>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>How—how long will you be gone?”</span>
</p>
<p>“A week, maybe a few days more.”</p>
<p>
  <span>Eva’s entire world stopp</span>
  <span>ed</span>
  <span>, spun around, and fell face down on the floor. </span>
  <span>She scratched at the skin above her brow, trying to think of something to say that wasn’t begging him to come back and fuck her through the next few days while her heat continued to rise and crest.</span>
</p>
<p>“<span>I’m not sure what is the appropriate thing to say, here.” She was going to try for a joke. “Is it ‘good luck’ or ‘happy hunting’?”</span></p>
<p>His laugh was genuine and it tunneled right down into her belly, adding to the pressure that was building at a rapid pace. She had to get a handle on this really fucking fast.</p>
<p>“How about I just go with, ‘be safe’?”</p>
<p>Eva could hear his surprised inhale and it made her smile.</p>
<p>“I will. I’ll call you when I’m back.”</p>
<p>“You do that,” she whispered.</p>
<p><span>They said their goodbyes and then Eva was han</span><span>g</span><span>ing up the phone, trying to work through what she was going to do. </span><span>All the while, her pulse was rising, her body warming, slick dripping between her thighs. She could barely fucking think around the need piling higher and higher in her body.</span> <span>Inevitably, she came to the conclusion that there was really only one thing she could do. </span><span>She picked up the phone and let her office know that she was going to be out sick for the next week or so.</span></p>
<p>Turning, she headed for the bedroom, each step more excruciating than the next. By the time she got to the door, she was on her hands and knees. She had to make herself come again before she could even cross the threshold.</p>
<p>
  <span>B</span>
  <span>reathing hard, she </span>
  <span>licked her dry lips and crawled hand over hand until she reached the bed. Then, she rolled heavily to her side. Eva laid there for a while, sweating into the carpet. </span>
  <span>When she had the energy, she reached underneath the bed, fingers trailing along the edges of a cardboard box. </span>
  <span>It turned as she grabbed at it, until her fingernail caught on the lip, pulling it towards her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>H</span>
  <span>ugging the box to her chest, Eva rolled to sitting. She pulled off the lid and threw it to the side, reaching in and unwrapping the </span>
  <span>dildo from the spare shirt she’d kept it in. </span>
  <span>It had been an impulse purchase after she’d gotten out of prison. During her incarceration, she’d had two heats without a partner, thrown in solitary for her safety. </span>
  <span>Afterwards, Eva had decided that if she wasn’t going to have someone with her, she’d at least have the tool she needed to help her get through it as painlessly as possible.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>T</span>
  <span>racing her fingers over the length of it, Eva laid the first two over the knot at its base. She’d lingered over the decision as to whether or not to choose one with it. It felt a little too taboo to admit that this was what she needed it for, but Eva had forced herself to be practical. Even now, she could feel herself flush as she thought about sitting down on it and pushing that knot inside her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rising to her knees, Eva climbed onto the bed, falling to her back. </span>
  <span>Panting with the exertion, she laid there for a moment and collected herself. The next wave would start soon and she wanted to rest while she could. </span>
</p>
<p>It didn’t take long, the steady hum of her arousal sizzling upwards through her skin. She breathed deep, centering herself as her mind took its leave and left only her writhing, needy body. She spread her wetness over her folds, slipping her fingers in to ensure a smooth glide. Then, she grabbed the toy and pressed the tip in. Careful not to get ahead of herself, Eva let her body suck in the length at its leisure, until the knot was pressed right up against her.</p>
<p>
  <span>F</span>
  <span>uck, but it felt good—her mind whispered that it could feel better. She could have a warm, solid man atop her, whose cock was thick enough to burn her when he pressed into her body. Very sternly, she told her mind to </span>
  <em>
    <span>shut up</span>
  </em>
  <span>
    <span>. It was no use wishing for what she couldn’t have, and he was gone, anyway. She’d take what she could get.</span>
  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>
    <span>Still, her mind kept replaying the night previous. How he’d held her wrists so tightly. How he’d used his weight to keep her still and open for him. She pumped the toy into herself, groaning at the memory. </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>A thought snagged at her brain, something he’d said.</span>
  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>...feels too good when you ride me…</em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>
    <span>Eva hadn’t missed the way he looked up at her when she was bouncing on his cock, the way his hand</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>s</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span> gripped her, the praise he gave her. He liked watching her take her pleasure from him. It made her think that he’d very much like watching her take his knot in the same way.</span>
  </span>
</p>
<p>Moaning loudly, Eva folded her body over and balanced on her knees. She let gravity pull her all the way down, the toy dragging against her walls. She knew she wasn’t going to be able to drag this out any longer. She needed it too much now. Grinding down on it, she took a deep breath, and let her hips open wide, the knot pushing past her opening with an internal ‘pop’. She screamed, coming around it, body shaking so hard that she could not remain upright.</p>
<p>
  <span>
    <span>That’s how it went for several days. She’d </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>wake up, fuck an orgasm out of herself, pass out. She couldn’t eat, couldn’t move from the bed except to use the restroom. A few times, she leaned over the tub and guzzled water from the tap. The heat burned through her in a way that left her exhausted and weak </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>and </span>
  </span>
  <em>
    <span>sad</span>
  </em>
  <span>
    <span>. At its height, she cried tears all over her pillow, her only thought that she </span>
  </span>
  <em>
    <span>wanted him</span>
  </em>
  <span>
    <span> to </span>
  </span>
  <em>
    <span>be there.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>
    <span>T</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>hankfully, it eased after the third day, the downward slope filled with more naps and less frantic masturbation. By day six, she was up and moving, eating a little, and watching TV listlessly. She’d have to go back into the office eventually, but for now she was happy to do absolutely nothing while her body recovered. </span>
  </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Someone was banging on her door. Eva groaned and rolled out of the bed, pulling on a pair of sweatpants and trudging through her apartment to answer it. Standing on the other side was a livid Connie, a storm in her expression. <br/>“Where the hell have you been?”<br/>Eva stumbled back, pushed by Connie into the living room. She winced against the sunlight, thankful that Connie closed the door behind her.<br/>“Steve says you haven’t been at work all week and you’re not answering your phone.”<br/>That was true.  Eva had turned off the ringer on the phone when the incessant noise kept pulling her out of much needed rest during the periods when her heat wasn’t demanding she see to it.<br/>“I’m sorry. I’ve been… indisposed.”<br/>That was how her mother had put it, whenever she’d have to send Eva to a neighbor for a few days as her mother’s heat began. Indisposed. Like a fucking maiden in a story. A pretty word to gloss over the animal ferocity that was a heat. The truth of it was that heats were intense, frantic, primal things that served to bind together partners. The sex was a bi-product of an onslaught of bonding hormones that were assuaged by physical touch. There was nothing gentle in its nature.<br/>Connie looked at her like she was insane, “That’s your explanation.  Jesus, Eva, I thought something had—.” <br/>She cut off, inhaling. Eva had been working to clear out the air in the apartment as discreetly as possible, but she knew the scent remained. Connie had gone very still, and very red.<br/>“I—I’m sorr—,” she cleared her throat, “I’m sorry, I didn’t know.”<br/>Eva shook her head, “I didn’t tell anyone.”<br/>Connie’s brows drew together, “You didn’t tell anyone? Not even…” She left the sentence hanging, turning her hand over, her meaning quite clear.<br/>“No,” Eva confirmed, “He had a mission he was doing, and I didn’t want to pull him away. Besides, its early to...do that...together.”<br/>They’d been seeing each other maybe twelve weeks or so. And, if Eva’s hunch was correct, their innate compatibility would have resulted in a deeper intimacy than would normally happen at this stage in a relationship—at least, that’s how she understood adult relationships.  Her perception had, no doubt, been skewed a little.<br/>Scoffing, Connie folded her arms over her chest, “You should have told him. Steve said he got back this morning. Maybe give him a call or something, let him know what happened.”<br/>Eva rolled her eyes, “What good is it going to do now? Its over. I won’t have another for a couple of months, maybe more.”<br/>She didn’t even fucking know her own cycle, her hormones too screwed up from her experimentation with off-use suppressants. Eva could have another heat in a month, six months, or not for a year.  She only hoped that she was a little more prepared for it the next time around. The knowledge that he was back rattled around in her head. Her body buzzed at the thought that she would get to see him very soon. <br/>Connie’s expression turned soft, “You shouldn’t have to go through it alone, Eva.”<br/>As an alpha, herself, Connie was well aware of what Eva had just gone through.  Though Steve was a beta, he’d respond immediately to the hormonal fluctuations, ride it out with her. If she were unmarried, she may or may not be able to find a willing partner. As a woman, it could be dangerous to take on an unfamiliar partner during a heat.  If she were a man entering rut, she could potentially go to any one of the many sex workers in the area and this would be generally acceptable, if unfortunate.  A woman had no such option.<br/>“I did okay,” Eva said, lying through her teeth.  She absolutely had not done well, and she felt like shit. <br/>Connie eyed her, “No, you didn’t. You look like you’ve been hit by a train.”<br/>Eva laughed, couldn’t help it, “I’m good.  I’ll be better in a few days.”<br/>Mouth thin, Connie dropped her arms, “Listen, I think you need to talk with Horacio about this. But, do whatever you want.” She headed for the door, turning a bit, “You need anything?”<br/>Eva shook her head, “I’m good.”<br/>Connie sighed, pointed a finger at her, and said, “Hydrate. Lots of water.” Then, “I’m glad you’re alright.”<br/>And then she was heading back out into the sunlight. Eva stared at the door for a little while, feeling weak.  She sat on the couch, pulling her knees up to her chest, and eyed the phone.  A phone call.  She could make a phone call, hear his voice, feel the comfort of knowing he was safe. Then, she could go back to laying around in bed until he could stop by.<br/>Chewing on her thumbnail, she stood and stepped over to the phone, picking it up from the cradle and dialing.  It rang. It rang, and rang, and rang.  She hung up. Glancing at the clock, she figured she’d give  it an hour or so before she called again. <br/>To distract herself, she showered. The water was gorgeously hot, sweeping away the tiredness that had settled into her muscles. She dried off and wrapped a towel around herself so that she could look for something to wear. Her brain helpfully supplied that Horacio might want to see her, so she should make a little bit of an effort.  She pulled on a sundress, reaching behind her to pull up the zipper. She’d been careful with her underwear selection, choosing a soft lace hipster brief and a bra with semi sheer cups. Though they were both in a similar champagne tone, they weren’t a matching set. Eva didn’t actually own any matching sets. She didn’t have the energy to wonder what that said about her.<br/>Barefoot, she padded back to the living room, running her fingers through her hair. She opened the fridge and looked at the contents, her stomach turning.  She wouldn’t be able to eat anything more than bland foods for a while, her body still flushing out the hormones. Closing the fridge, she returned to the living and sat on the couch, sulking.<br/>It was late afternoon, the sun starting to head down towards the horizon. He’d gotten back that morning, but she hadn’t heard from him. Eva chided herself. He was a busy man, in charge of an entire unit of police. He was probably tying up the loose ends of his mission. Doing paperwork. Normal job duties. Still, she couldn’t help that little bit of anxiety that bubbled up beneath her logical explanations.<br/>“Its the hormones, Eva,” she said to herself. “Its just the hormones.”<br/>She lasted the hour and allowed herself another phone call. No answer. Eva huffed, thinking. She was going to drive herself crazy if she kept doing this. Grabbing her purse, she dug through it for her keys. What she found was the lighter he’d given her in the bar.  She’d dropped it into her purse for safe keeping all those weeks ago and it had fallen down into the depths of the bag.<br/>Eva turned it over in her hands. It was a plain silver, heavily weighted, no inscription or decoration. She flipped open the top and spun the flint, the flame igniting easily. Closing the lighter, Eva slipped it into the pocket of her dress, patting it.<br/>Keys in hand, she drove down to the restaurant that he’d taken her to when they’d had lunch. In stilted Spanish, she ordered a few of their recommended items, smiling wide when they handed her a bag stuffed full.  <br/>When she was back in her car, Eva sat at the wheel and wondered if what she was doing was appropriate. The boundaries of their relationship weren’t clearly defined. But, he’d always seemed happy to see her when she dropped by, always seemed to welcome her presence.  This was no different.  Eva nodded to no one in particular.  She would drop in, deliver the food, let him know that she was glad he was back, and leave.  Short. Sweet. Simple. <br/>Decision made, Eva headed for the station. The walk up to his office was quiet, most of the officers having left for the evening. Her sandals whispered over the tile floor as she navigated around the bullpen of desks towards his office door.  When she leaned in, he wasn’t there. Eva smothered the disappointment.<br/>Sighing, she swung the bag from her arm to the opposite hand, moving to set it on his desk. Nimble fingers plucked a pen from where it lay atop a pile of folders. <br/>“Sticky note...sticky note,” she murmured, looking for something to write on.<br/>The scuff of a shoe behind her startled Eva from her search, she spun around, brows lifted in surprised.<br/>“Hey,” she breathed. <br/>Horacio stood in the doorway, hair wet and brushed back from his face, a bundle of clothes in his hands. His gaze was focused, intense, sweeping over her in such a way that she could tell he was noting every detail. She stilled, the smile on her mouth dropping a little as she waited, breath held.<br/>“Hi,” he said finally. There was an odd note in his tone, a slowness to the one word sentence that usually wasn’t there.<br/>Exhaling, Eva gestured to the bag of food on his desk, “I brought you something to eat. I figured you’d only been eating MREs for the last week and you might like some real food.”<br/>His eyes flicked down to the bag and then back up again. Moving slowly, he set the bundle of clothing on a table near the door and stepped into the room. Back to her, he closed the door, hand lingering on the handle. When he turned back to her, he fixed her with that same focused look and Eva’s spine straightened underneath the weight of it. <br/>Head canted down, he walked towards her. Every muscle in Eva’s body froze as she eyed him. He moved leisurely, a relaxed saunter, but there was darkness in his eyes that she had only very rarely glimpsed. Lips parted, her thoughts muddied in her head. She couldn’t move if she tried.<br/>When he reached her, his arms wrapped around her middle, hauling her up against his chest in a fierce embrace. Reflexively, Eva cradled him to her, arms rising to his shoulders. Pushing his face into her neck, Horacio nosed along her skin until he reached her scent gland. His next inhale was deep, intentional. <br/>Gasping, Eva’s head fell back, her body leaning into him. He held her weight easily, crowding her until they were pressed together from chest to knee.  <br/>“I missed you,” he murmured into her skin.<br/>Eva’s eyes closed tightly, relief flooding out from her heart into her veins. She inhaled, trying to center herself. His scent was rolling over her, alternatively calming and exciting.  <br/>“I missed you, too.”<br/>He pulled back a little, one hand tucking her hair behind her ear, looking at her as if he hadn’t seen her in months rather than a little over a week. Eva blushed, unable to hold his gaze. Her skin tingled where they touched, heart palpitating in her chest. She felt like she had the first time she’d scented him, a bundle of vibrating nerves that grabbed and pulled her into his orbit, holding her there.<br/>“How did the mission go? Did you catch him?”<br/>His shoulders deflated, and Eva knew she’d said the wrong thing. <br/>“No, we didn’t. We did get a few key players, but that’s it.”<br/>Eva traced her hands up above the collar of his uniform, thumbs finding their place at the nape of his neck. She kneaded the muscle there, please when his eyelids drooped. <br/>“I’m sorry,” she whispered, knowing how disappointed he must be about it.<br/>He dropped his forehead to hers, “Not your fault.”<br/>“I know, but I’m sorry all the same.”<br/>Hands gripping her waist, thumbs rubbing over her belly, he closed his eyes. She continued to press her hands into his neck, fingers spanning out beneath the collar of his shirt to get at that tense shoulder muscles. He let out a soft groan when she hit a particularly tight spot.<br/>“I want to kiss you,” he said softly. “Can I?”<br/>Eva smiled, “Yes.”<br/>Leaning down, he pressed just the tiniest kiss to her mouth, lifting up a fraction of an inch before diving back down to kiss her properly. She opened for him, hands pausing at his shoulders as she lost focus. He kissed her deeply, arms pulling her so tightly to his body that she had to rock up onto her toes to keep balance.<br/>The first taste of him after so long without was a shock to Eva’s system, everything inside her lighting up into bright, incandescent fire. It was then that she knew coming here may have been a mistake. She thought the heat was over—she was sure of it. But, the lingering hormones in her body rushed to her brain, sending sizzling signals to her core. It was not a heat, but the echo of the one she’d just gone through, a ricochet that hit her right in the chest. <br/>Breaking the kiss, he took a step back, pulling her with him, “I want to touch you.”<br/>She followed him closely, until he was sitting on the couch at the far end of his office, pulling her into his lap. He looked at her, waiting for her answer.<br/>“Yes.”<br/>Legs on either side of his hips, Eva carded her fingers through his damp hair, kissing him fervently. True to his wishes, his hands moved over her,  fingers curling over her skin, grabbing handfuls of her thighs and hips. He pushed his hands beneath the fabric of her sundress, rucking up the fabric. The cut of the dress caught on his wrists, restricting his movement, the pads of his fingers stopping short of her breasts. With a frustrated growl, he reached behind her and yanked on the zipper, pulling the dress down. <br/>Without skipping a beat, he cupped her breasts, running his thumbs over her nipples through the sheer fabric. He kissed down her neck, pulling down the cup of her bra, mouth sucking at her skin until he drew her nipple between his teeth, biting down ever so slightly. Eva moaned, a high pitched thing that caught in her throat. <br/>She’d been waiting all week for this, had been fantasizing about having him back with her while she worked to get off. The reality of feeling him hard beneath her, hips rolling upwards, was so much better than she could have imagined.  His scent wafted around her, clean and fresh from the shower.<br/>Releasing her nipple with an obscenely wet sound, Horacio placed an open mouthed kiss against her neck before shoving his nose against her and inhaling lewdly.<br/>“Smell so good,” he ground out, fingers gripping tight.<br/>Eva could only nod. She knew what he meant. After a week without him, she wanted to drown herself in his scent. Tobacco and vetiver. Her mouth salivated just breathing him in. Needing to taste as much as she needed to touch him, she leaned down and licked a hot stripe up his neck until she got to the scent gland behind his ear. It was feverish to the touch, a little swollen, and radiating the smell that had and would continue to haunt her fantasies for the rest of her life. Lips open, she encircled it, sucking hard.<br/>The sound he made was as feral as it was pathetic, his hips snapped up, grinding into her forcefully. She whined, lifting to try to keep hold of him, tongue swirling. Fingers in her hair, he pulled her away, her scalp stinging. She groaned, mouth open.<br/>He shushed her, “Have to be quiet, Eva. There’s still others here.” He kissed her, a sly smile on his mouth, “Do you want me to stop?”<br/>She shook her head wildly, hair falling over her bare shoulders. He looked up at her, eyes bright, skin flushed—looking for all the world like he was awed by her. <br/>“I want to be inside you,” his tone was urgent, tongue coming out to wet his lips.<br/>“Yes,” she answered him, her voice cracking.<br/>Pulling her close, he kissed her, hands sliding up her thighs. She met him eagerly, hands fisting in his shirt.  He nipped at her, hand moving to work at his belt, fingers pulling at the zipper and pushing his pants down just enough to free his erection. Fuck, but she missed looking at it. The toy she’d used as a substitute wasn’t nearly as thick as he was, and her body clenched at how she knew he would stretch her wide, fuck her open in the most delicious way. <br/>Impatient, Eva rose up on her knees, using one hand to pull her panties to the side and the other to line him up and sink onto him. If she hadn’t been fucking herself through a heat over the last week, it might have taken the usual two or three thrusts to drop all the way down. Instead, she slid over him smoothly, her body welcoming him enthusiastically. <br/>He gasped, surprise written all over his face before his jaw clenched and he grabbed her hips to hold her steady. Eva threw her head back, biting her lip to keep the wail that wanted to escape at bay. <br/>“Fuck,” he breathed, looking down at where they were joined. Reaching up, he pulled her to him for a kiss, saying against her mouth, “I thought about you every day. Woke up hard for you. Couldn’t even get myself off because there was no fucking privacy.”<br/>The image of him laying in a tent somewhere, aroused and unable to do anything about it was titillating. Then came the image of him stroking off to the thought of her, his fist flying over his cock. Eva felt like she couldn’t catch her breath, the need to come pushing its way to the forefront of her mind. She shifted her hips, trying to catch a rhythm that she knew would send them both into a frenzy. He met her, the muscles of his arms and chest bulging as he helped her thrust down on him.<br/>“I want—,” Horacio’s lips pressed together, cutting off the sentence.<br/>Eva cupped his jaw, forcing him to look at her, “What do you want?”<br/>Everything inside her wanted to give him whatever it was that he wouldn’t let himself have. The man denied himself so much, controlled everything about his life to the minutest detail. If he needed, she would provide.<br/>“I want,” he started again, pausing. He buried his head against her neck and she could feel him fighting to keep the words down.<br/>Leaning back, she forced him to look at her. There was an openness to his expression that gave her pause, an almost pleading in the tone of the sounds coming from him. She ran her thumb over his cheekbone.<br/>“Tell me what you want,” she whispered, kissing him softly, “Tell me.”<br/>His eyes closed as he said, “I want to come inside you.”<br/>Liquid fire coursed through her, a wild feeling that reverberated around until she shook with it. Eva felt her body respond in a primal reaction, her hips swiveling down on him as if to coax the orgasm from him immediately.<br/>“Yes, alpha,” she moaned, the words out of her mouth before she could catch them. <br/>Eyes flying open, he hauled her to him, holding her immobile. Eva squirmed, incensed that she couldn’t keep grasping at the tendrils of pleasure that she needed. His arms tightened further, until she was sure she would burst from the pressure.<br/>“Say it again,” he demanded through clenched teeth.<br/>“Yes, alpha,” she gasped, pulling at his shirt, trying and failing to gain any leverage, “Please, alpha.”<br/>Snarling, his torso rotated and she fell heavily on the couch cushions. Horacio crawled over her, pushing his hands under her dress to yank off her panties, dropping them to the side. He braced a foot on the floor, dropping his hips and shoving into her again. <br/>Mouth at her ear, he let out a string of filth, telling her how good she felt, how tight and hot she was. His hands held her still as his hips slapped against her, the wet sound of his cock pushing up into her loud in the quiet room. Eva held on as best she could, burying her face into his neck to quell the sounds that she couldn’t keep inside. He reached up and gripped the arm of the couch, using it to gain leverage.<br/>His pace was hard and fast, and exactly what she needed. Eva felt her body bear down on him, tightening as she neared release.<br/>“You gonna come on me,” he asked hoarsely, “Gonna soak my cock with your come, omega?”<br/>The use of her designation caused her eyes to roll back, the sweet, lancing pain of her orgasm rocketing through her as she laid there, unable to do anything but bite down on his shoulder to stop herself from screaming.<br/>“Sweet fucking omega,” he growled, pace picking up until she could feel him pulsing inside. <br/>He held himself against her, hips grinding for several long moments, until his body relaxed. Breathing hard, he let his weight fall atop her briefly, nosing against her neck, licking at the sweat that had pooled there.<br/>With effort, he pulled out, his eyes falling to her folds. There was that focused gaze again, his lips pulling between his teeth. She could feel their combined orgasms leaking out of her slowly and she had to resist the urge to close her legs at the thought of what he was seeing. Lifting onto one palm, Horacio ran two fingers up her slit, gathering the wetness and pushing it back inside.  Still sensitive, Eva drew in a shaky breath, her hand grabbing at the forearm near her head.<br/>He stirred his fingers inside her a few times before pulling them out, bringing them to his mouth and sucking them clean. Eva’s jaw dropped as she watched him, her core pulsing at the sight.<br/>After tucking himself back into his pants and setting his clothing back into place, he carefully helped her to dress. He laid down a kiss on each patch of skin before he covered it again, a softness to his touch that had not been there a few minutes previous. Kneeling, he reached for where he’d dropped her panties, his free hand pushing open her thighs.<br/>His gaze lingered over her, eyes dark. Then, with little warning, he dove down and gave her a long, hot lick. Groaning, he leaned into her, nose pressed against her curls, mouth sucking at her clit. Eva hissed, her body curling over him. He swirled his tongue over her, a helpless little moan catching at the back of his throat. His hands tightened on her thighs, her panties hanging from where they’d caught on his	 pinky.<br/>Eva gripped his shoulders, giving a pouting little huff when he pulled away suddenly. Panting he squeezed his eyes shut and Eva watched as one hand fell to his lap, palming at the erection that was growing behind his fly. He looked up at her, a kind of desperate surprise in his eyes. Eva grasped the hand on her thigh, soothing.<br/>He rose, her panties still gripped in his hand, and paced away towards his desk. Eva brought her knees together self-consciously, not sure what was happening.<br/>“Did you mean it?”<br/>His back was to her, he ran a hand over his hair, fingers tucking her panties into his pocket. She knew without asking what he was getting at. She’d called him ‘alpha’, had acknowledged him as such. For an omega to make that kind of declaration was serious. Serious, and dangerous. It was a thing that existed in the space between marking and bonding, a deeply intimate gesture. That left the question: Did she mean it? She’d never wanted to invoke it before, the recognition of an alpha had terrified her in the past. Now, the thought was seductive.<br/>Eva took a breath, steeling herself against the urge to protect herself at all costs, “Yes.”<br/>He visibly tensed, still looking at the far wall. Then, he circled his desk and opened the middle drawer, pulling out a key. Stepping determinedly, he returned to her side, sitting next to her on the couch. He put the key in her hand. His tone was firm when he spoke.<br/>“This is the spare key to my house. I’ve got some things I need to wrap up here, but when I come home, I want to find you in my bed—naked.”<br/>Eva stared at him, feeling heat rise in her cheeks. He curled a finger beneath her chin, kissing her lightly. Dropping that hand to her thigh, he traced up the inside of it lightly.<br/>“This is mine tonight, do you understand?” He asked as he circled her opening. <br/>She nodded, resisting the urge to slot her hand on his and push his thick digits inside. He kept circling, breath fanning over her cheeks, his free arm coming up around her waist to hold her to him.<br/>“Can I…?” she started, her words cut off as he threaded two fingers into her folds, rubbing at the hidden legs of her clit on either side.<br/>He hummed in question, eyes trained on where he was playing with her.<br/>She swallowed dryly and tried again, “Can I get my overnight bag from the apartment?”<br/>One side of his mouth lifted, “What would you do if I said no?”<br/>Eva blinked, shifting on the cushion as he applied just a little more pressure, “I wouldn’t go get it.”<br/>Looking up at her from beneath his lashes, clearly pleased, he kissed her temple. The hand between her legs pulled away, grasping her skirt and settling it down over her knees.  It took everything in Eva to keep from begging for him to keep going, her core throbbing.<br/>“Go get your bag,” he said as he stood, helping her to rise with him. Then, he walked her to the door of his office, pausing in the threshold. “I’ll be home soon.”<br/>The walk to her car, the drive to her apartment, and then to his house was a blur, her mind foggy with arousal. Eva was standing at the door to his house before she knew it, the key in the lock. Swallowing, she turned it and stepped inside. <br/>The house, like it always did, smelled like him. Eva took a deep breath, moving through the living room and down the hall to the bedroom where she dropped her bag.  The bed was made, the closet door closed, the blinds drawn. One of his jackets was thrown over an armchair to the right of the bed, the clock on his nightstand read seven pm. <br/>Dropping her overnight bag next to the dresser, Eva sat on the bed, leaning down to pull off her sandals.  Absently, she felt the lighter still sitting heavily in her pocket. Pulling it out, she set it carefully on the nightstand. <br/>She didn’t know how long she had, but she felt the need to make herself as presentable as possible.  The frantic searching for the things she needed to pack in her apartment, the drive over, not to mention the exertion in his office...Eva could smell the sweat on her skin.<br/>Rising, she peeled off the sundress and stepped into the bathroom.  Showering quickly, she toweled off and returned to the bedroom. She should maybe eat something. Still naked, Eva went to the kitchen and looked through the cabinets until she found a box of crackers.  She ate as many as she could stomach, which was, admittedly, not a lot.  Washing it down with a glass of water, Eva stood at the sink and tried to figure out if she needed to do anything else.  He hadn’t given her any other directives. Bed. Naked. That was it.  <br/>Filling the cup again, Eva leaned against the counter and looked at the living room through the archway. A few magazines and the TV remote sat on the table.  She could maybe try to distract herself with a late night show—no, if he found her on the couch...Eva shivered.  She wasn’t quite ready to test his limits, but the thought was intriguing enough that she filed it away to explore later. <br/>Reaching over, she flicked off the lights, heading back to the bedroom.  She’d settled on getting rest. There had been promise in his voice when he’d told her he would be home soon. Eva needed to have the energy to rise to the occasion.<br/>Sleep came easily, ensconced as she was in his sheets, in his scent. Dreamless, she snuggled deeply into the comforter. As solid as her sleep was, Eva could be forgiven for taking a minute to come back to consciousness. <br/>Horacio was sitting beside her on the bed, hand on the dip of her waist. He’d pulled the sheet and comforter off her, the bulk piled at the end of the bed. <br/>“I should have you here more often,” he said.<br/>Eva smiled, “You usually want to go back to my place.”<br/>He hummed, leaning down to pick up a plastic bag from where it sat at his feet. He reached in and tossed a box onto the nightstand. Eva would have giggled if her insides hadn’t twisted in anticipation. He’d gone to the drug store on his way back from the station. If there was any confusion about his intentions with her, they were now clear as fucking day. <br/>Dropping the bag to the side, he worked the buckle of his watch loose, setting it on the nightstand. She watching him notice the lighter, his hand covering it for half a second. Then, he moved to his belt, sliding it through the loops of his uniform and rolling it into a neat spiral.  Next came his button up, thrown onto the armchair. His undershirt, too.  He paused over his pants, debating.  Then, his thumb flicked open the fly and he pushed them down. Eva noted that he must have removed his shoes and socks before he sat down.  They were laying neatly by the door. <br/>Leaving his boxer briefs on, he moved to the end of the bed, looking down its length at her. Eva rolled to her back, arms over her stomach as she waited. He looked at her a while, eyes narrow. <br/>“Open your legs.”<br/>She did.<br/>“Wider.”<br/>Leaning down, he grasped her ankle, thumb pressing into her Achilles heel. First one knee, then the other pressed into the mattress as he crawled up and over her, hands trailing alongside. The breadth of his chest pushed her thighs open further. Face against the soft swell of her belly, he breathed in.<br/>The fingers on her hips curled, he looked up at her, displeased, “You showered.”<br/>Eva bit her lip, nodding.<br/>“Why?”<br/>She shrugged, “I wanted to…” she searched for the words, “be presentable.”<br/>A soft chuckle left his lips. Eva felt her cheeks heat in embarrassment. She looked away, trying to think of what to say.<br/>Moving up her body, he grasped her chin, trying to catch her gaze, “No, no, I’m not making fun of you. I just—don’t pout—I just think its cute that you think I’m going to find you anything but irresistible.”<br/>Eva rolled her eyes, “I was a mess.”<br/>His brows quirked and he hummed a little, “A mess that I made.”<br/>She absolutely had no response to that, her mouth open in shock. He clocked it, smiled wide enough that she could see his dimples, and leaned down to kiss her. He slipped his tongue into her mouth, moaning. Eva grasped his sides as he kicked up the intensity, his hands in her hair. <br/>“I need to tell you,” he gasped against her mouth, “While I can still think—fuck—while I’m still sane. You know what this is?”<br/>Eva stared up at him, trying to make sense of his words, her mind already beginning to fog over with arousal. Pulling away, he grabbed her wrist and shoved it between them, laying her palm over his erection. <br/>“Feel that?”<br/>Eva groaned, eyes closing, as she tried to give him a firm pull. His grip tightened, his free hand cupping her cheek to get her attention.<br/>“Feel, Eva.”<br/>At the base of his cock there was a swelling, a little ring of flesh that was only about a quarter the size of what it would be fully engorged. Eva’s hand froze, her eyes flying to his face.<br/>He looked down at her, all serious, “If you don’t want this, you need to tell me.  I’ll get up and I’ll go, but you need to tell me right now.”<br/>As if to illustrate his point, he rose up on his hands and knees, his body trembling above her. Eva looked him over, looked at the scars she’d traced in the lazy intervals between kisses, looked at the arms that had held her, supported her, looked at the dark eyes that were begging her to choose quickly.<br/>With deliberate slowness, Eva tucked her hand into his briefs and palmed him, sliding down to the base and squeezing the barely formed knot. He hissed, back bowing, eyes squeezed tightly shut. When he opened them again, they were as focused as they had been in his office. <br/>Quick, sure movements hand her wrists in his hands, sinking into the mattress on either side of her head. He mouthed along her collarbone, dropping his hips into the cradle of her thighs, knees pushing outwards to spread her wide.<br/>The ascent upwards was fast, frenzied, his hips twisting against her. The friction felt amazing on her already sensitized skin. He rocked against her, tasting her skin. Pinned down as she was, Eva could only hike her legs up high on his waist, using the little bit of leverage to grind against him.<br/>“Inside,” she rasped, trying to arch deeper into every thrust.<br/>Horacio shook his head, breathing hard, “This one is for you. I don’t know that...I won’t be able to make sure you’re, shit, taken care of after I…”<br/>Eva took his meaning.  He was nearly in rut, a frenetic sexual energy coursing through him that would not be stopped once it started.  An alpha male in rut wouldn’t knot fully, but the partial swelling was enough to drive them to fuck until it had emptied—with a partner or without. <br/>Feeling her body respond to that knowledge, Eva threw her head back, her thighs burning. She’d soaked through the front of his briefs, could feel even more slick dripping out of her as she climbed higher towards orgasm. A choked gasp caught in her throat, her body clenching down on nothing, spasming beneath the heavy weight of him.<br/>“So good for me,” he praised, kissing her cheek chastely.<br/>Eva sighed, muscles limp as he lifted off her and reached over to open the box of condoms, pulling apart the foil packet and rolling it on. After kicking off his underwear, he settled back between her thighs, lifting one leg up and over his hip. He pushed inside slowly, grunting as she pulsed around him. As he bottomed out, his eyes rolled back, the little swell of his knot settling against her folds.<br/>There was a pause, a breath that held stagnant between them for only a second or so, and then he was pumping into her at an ever increasing pace. Eva teeth clacked together when he gave a particularly hard thrust, knocking against her cervix, grinding down. <br/>All at once she was reminded of that first conversation they’d had following their first night together—how he’d worried about having hurt her. She had a feeling this was why. Eva had known he was strong, could feel it every time they touched.  She’d seen him fight, knock a guy unconscious. She’d felt him lift her with seemingly no effort.  All of that could not prepare her for the unbridled force with which he was currently fucking up into her. <br/>His skin slapped against her, cock thrusting against her walls, hitting her g spot regularly enough that she felt another orgasm begin to rise. He wrapped both arms around her, holding her to his chest, face in her neck. It cost him in leverage, his knees digging into the mattress for purchase. But, he didn’t seem keen to let her go. <br/>Eva hugged him to her, one hand in his hair, the other tracing down the length of his spine.  She could not quell the whimpers falling from her lips, could not stop her ankles from locking together at the small of his back, urging him on. She definitely could not stop her cunt from fluttering around him.<br/>He groaned into her neck, hips stuttering. Cursing, his body slowed, lungs drawing deep breaths. Eva sighed as he rolled off her, her hands falling on either side of her body. She turned to her side, stretching her legs out, toes pointed.<br/>Horacio returned to her, having dealt with the condom. He touched her shoulder, sliding up behind and slotting his leg between hers.<br/>“You good?” He asked, voice rough.<br/>Eva nodded, laying her hand over the arm around her waist. He continued to trace along her skin for a while, mouth leaving syncopated kisses all over. Soon enough, she felt him begin to harden against her ass and she tilted her hips back in invitation.<br/>“Rest for a moment,” he said, his hand tracing up to her breast, kneading gently. He continued to dot kisses over her neck and shoulder, licking here and there. <br/>He petted her for a long while, occasionally reaching down to slide his fingers over her pussy, rubbing light circles over her clit. All the while, sweat began for form over his arm and along his chest where they were pressed together. It wasn’t long before he was reaching for another condom and rolling Eva to her back, pushing into her. <br/>The sound she made was not feminine or pretty. It exploded from her throat, a needy, guttural thing. As before, his pace was quick and hard. Eva gripped the pillow beneath her head, jaw unhinged as she tried to keep up. Too soon, her tired body was giving up, her legs falling wide as she simply took what he was giving her. <br/>Horacio grasped her behind the neck, pulling her to him for a sloppy kiss.  Eva could barely breathe around the way he kept upping the intensity of how he fucked her, changing the angle, pushing inside and grinding on her, using one hand to arch her back up to him so that he could bite at her breasts. She keened, a frission running through her.<br/>He came with a shout, his body shaking all around her, forehead dropping to her chest. She barely felt him pull out, still reeling from the electric static running rampant over her skin. Hands ran over her, lulling her as she dropped into a strange kind of sleepy place, somewhere between waking and dreaming.<br/>When she came back to awareness, he was rolling his tongue over her pussy, one long finger dipping inside. He massaged her thighs, hanging over his shoulders. Eva moaned lowly, his name sounding as she shifted against the sheets. He sucked at her lips, thumb rubbing at her clit. From between her thighs, he watched her come apart, her head thrown back, legs shaking.<br/>Making a sound of satisfaction, he lifted up, already reaching for another condom. With confident hands, he rolled her to her stomach, laying down atop her, pushing his cock into her in a smooth, firm stroke. The sound he made against her shoulder was obscene, a desperate, needy thing that dropped down into his chest. <br/>He gave her a few slow, controlled thrusts before his body took over. The way he straddled her thighs, pushing them together around him, the weight of his body keeping her immobile—it built around her, feeding into something deeply held, something she didn’t know existed in her.  She liked that she couldn’t move. She liked that he could, in that moment, do whatever the fuck he wanted with her. <br/>Whining against the pillow, Eva felt herself say things she had never let herself say before. Things like: Yes, hold me down and More, alpha, give me more. Fuck me harder, please. Her words seemed to spark even more of a fire in him. He lifted back to sit on his heels, pulling her with him until she was sitting astride his thighs with her back to his chest, speared on his cock. <br/>At this angle, he could grind the promise of his knot against her. One arm crossed over her chest to hold her steady, the other reaching down between her legs, he strained against her. Eva grasped futilely at his hips, his thighs, not exactly sure what she was trying to do but she needed to touch him. She needed more of him, more connection.<br/>Mine, mine, mine, he was saying, and it took too long for Eva to recognize that he’d dropped into Spanish. Words falling out of him like water. He called her his little omega, called her beautiful, called her his.<br/>Pushing her hair over her shoulder, he kissed underneath her jaw, licking up to her scent gland and swirling his tongue over it. Eva gasped, her nails digging into his thigh, urging him on. Grunting, his fervent kiss turned into a deep bite and she could feel the moment he broke the skin.<br/>She screamed in pleasure, the orgasm powerful enough that her whole body shook with it. She must have passed out, because the next thing she knew, he was calling her name, shouting at her.<br/>“’m okay,” she groaned, touching his jaw tenderly.<br/>Eyes wild with worry, he stared at her face.  She smiled at him, giving his cheek a pat before settling down into the softness of the mattress. He made her drink the cup of water she’d brought in with her before laying down beside her and watching her carefully. His eyes drooped as he stroked her thigh. Eva leaned over and kissed him, feeling blissfully worn out.<br/>“Thank you,” she murmured before succumbing to sleep, though those weren’t the words that echoed silently alongside it.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Eva woke desperately needing to pee. She was laying on her back, hands on either side of her head. Horacio’s arm was thrown over her waist, his body angled towards her. She looked over at him, his face completely relaxed, breaths slow and even. A beautiful man laying in repose.</p>
<p>Very carefully, she extricated herself from him, padding to the bathroom. Afterwards, as she was washing her hands, Eva flinched at her reflection in the mirror. Bruises had formed over her hips, on her thighs, around her wrists. He’d sucked hickeys over her stomach and breasts. When she turned, her back was similarly marked. At her neck was a clear bite, just over the scent gland behind her ear.</p>
<p>She ran two fingers over it, the skin sensitive and warm. Eva wasn’t sure he knew what he was doing at the time, knew the consequences of this actions. She stared at it, feeling flushed.</p>
<p>Hands on the counter, Eva debated her options. She could try to hide it, but experience taught her that Horacio was nothing if not observant. She could sneak out, but she’d run the risk of implying she was unhappy with the bonding mark on her neck. The truth was quite the opposite. She tamped down the excitedly happy feeling, trying not to get ahead of herself.</p>
<p>Turning off the lights, Eva gingerly opened the door and crawled back into the bed, hauling the comforter with her from where it had been kicked off in the night. Horacio grumbled as she slid in next to him, hands already pulling her into his chest, a sleepy kiss touching her brow. Eva smiled and snuggled down, falling back asleep.</p>
<p>When she woke again, she was alone. The bed was still warm, but he wasn’t there. Groggy, she scooted to standing and dug through her overnight bag, pulling on a t shirt and shorts. With a yawn, she headed to the bathroom, brushed her teeth, and stopped herself from pulling her hair up. Probably best that she leave it down for the moment.</p>
<p>Rubbing at her eyes, she stepped out into the hall and towards the living room, searching. He was sitting on the couch, head in his hands. He’d donned a pair of sweatpants, and even from a distance she could see that she’d scratched him across the arms, parallel red lines running from his tricep down around to the bend of his elbow.</p>
<p>A kind of tentative self consciousness settled over her. She’d been worried about the way her body looked, she hadn’t stopped to consider what she’d done to him.</p>
<p>As if sensing her, his head lifted and he fixed her with a hard gaze. Eva bit her lip, unsure in her approach.</p>
<p>“How did you sleep?” she tried, remaining in the doorway.</p>
<p>His eyes softened, “Good. Really good.”</p>
<p>Lifting a hand, he reached out to her. Relieved, Eva shuffled towards him, taking it. He pulled her to sit next to him. Eva went willingly, settling in and pulling her knees beneath her. They sat in silence for a few moments, and Eva could feel the tension in him.</p>
<p>“We need to talk about this,” he said finally.</p>
<p>Eva looked up at him, “About what?”</p>
<p>“This,” he touched the side of her neck, just below where he’d marked her.</p>
<p>She inhaled sharply, her eyes falling to half mast as the sensation lanced through her body. It would be like that until he finished the bond, every caress met with an urgent push of desire.</p>
<p>“What about it?”</p>
<p>Scoffing, he dropped his hand, eyes rolling, “This is serious, Eva.”</p>
<p>She knew this, “I know.”</p>
<p>God, but it was serious. She <em>knew it</em><span>. And yet, she couldn’t drudge up the ire she should definitely be feeling for what had happened. She didn’t want to.</span></p>
<p>“Then treat it seriously.”</p>
<p>Eva wasn’t quite prepared for the anger that traveled throughout his tone. Insecurities that she had worked to overcome reared up and it took a moment for her to realize that he was waiting for her to say something.</p>
<p>Looking at her hands, she said, “I don’t know how you want me to react.”</p>
<p>Sighing, he stood, pacing away from her a few steps, hands running through his hair, “I want you to react honestly.”</p>
<p>
  <em>No, you don’t, </em>
  <span>Eva thought. </span>
  <span>He wanted her to be angry, to cry, to feel badly about it. He wanted her to feel like he felt. It hurt, that conclusion. She felt pressure in her chest as she tried not to cry. </span>
  <span>This was not going well. No. Fuck that. She wasn’t going to be cowed by her own insecurities in this. She could tell the truth.</span>
</p>
<p>“I’m fine,” read: ecstatic, “About it.”</p>
<p>He repeated the word ‘fine’, hands on his hips. She couldn’t quite decipher his expression, it was so closed off. Months had passed since she had felt this kind of distance between them—like he had been when they were first circling around each other.”</p>
<p>“Eva, you should be pressing charges. I initiated a bond without your permission.”</p>
<p>She shrugged, “I wasn’t saying no.”</p>
<p>“You weren’t saying yes,” he countered, growing agitated, “We didn’t talk about it first.”</p>
<p>Again, she shrugged, “I’m not angry about it.”</p>
<p>“Well, I am,” he bit out, jaw tight.</p>
<p>
  <span>She looked away, the slow, fervent hope that </span>
  <span>she’d tried so hard to keep at bay dissipating like fog in sunlight. Eyes closed, Eva leaned back on old defense strategies, wiping her slate clean and shutting away the situation in front of her. </span>
</p>
<p>“No,” he muttered, hustling towards her and kneeling down, hands on her knees, “No, don’t do that. I didn’t mean it.”</p>
<p>Eva’s mouth thinned, “You did.”</p>
<p>“<span>Not that way,” he clarified, his chest pressing against her shins.</span></p>
<p>
  <span>T</span>
  <span>he way he was looking at her, that beseeching expression, the way his hands </span>
  <span>dropped and </span>
  <span>circled her ankles. Eva didn’t know how to deal with knowing he was angry and seeing him looking at her so intently.</span>
</p>
<p>“Then, how did you mean it?”</p>
<p>His lips parted, and she could see how difficult it was for him to find the words, his brows drawing together.</p>
<p>“I took away your choice.”</p>
<p>Eva blinked, “You didn’t.”</p>
<p>With a little laugh and condescension in his tone, he replied, “I was in rut, Eva. You couldn’t have stopped me.”</p>
<p>Her mouth curled, “You don’t know that.”</p>
<p>
  <span>Licking his lips, he dropped his chin, eyes narrow, “In all the years I’ve been on the job, I’ve never—</span>
  <em>never—</em>
  <span>had sex on duty. Not once. And not only did I break that record, I did it </span>
  <em>in my office</em>
  <span> with other officers in the building.”</span>
</p>
<p>Eva chuckled, running her fingers over his cheek, “Most of them were gone. It was extremely unlikely that we would get caught.”</p>
<p>His eyes closed, he took a breath, then fixed her with a level glare, “That is not the point.”</p>
<p>She turned her hand over in question, “Explain it to me.”</p>
<p>“I lost control,” he answered, his voice cracking. His hands rose to her knees tightening and releasing as he said it, as if to emphasize his words.</p>
<p>
  <span>Eva gave him a soft, understanding look, “</span>
  <span>That’s normal for a rut.”</span>
</p>
<p>Horacio shook his head, “Not for me.”</p>
<p>She gave him a disbelieving look, “Really?”</p>
<p>He frowned, “You think I haven’t had a rut before? You think I haven’t had one with an omega? I have, and I have never…” he paused, the words hanging between them. Then, he visibly switched gears, “When I saw you standing at my desk, that was it. It was over. I don’t know what I would have done if you told me no.”</p>
<p>She smiled a little, joking, “I’m not that kind of tease.”</p>
<p>Shaking his head, he continued, “I don’t know what I would have done if you said no and meant it.”</p>
<p>
  <span>And there it was. They’d gone full fucking circle. Their first real conversation outside of the prying ears of others echoing all the way to this exact moment. Except now, she could see that he wasn’t afraid of scaring her. He was afraid of scaring himself. This was a man with one foot in the darkness, who was constantly on guard against dropping both feet in. </span>
  <span>She could work with that.</span>
</p>
<p>“I didn’t say no, and I’m not saying no, now. If things… go pear shaped, we both still have a choice.”</p>
<p>She watched him process what she was saying. Although, he’d started the bonding process through the bite that scored the skin over her scent gland, they could still make the decision to stop it. Eva would have to go through one more heat by herself. It would be painful, far more painful than the one she’d just experienced, because her body knew at its very core that there was an alpha she could go to. But, she would do it, if he asked.</p>
<p>Horacio went very still, his expression stormy, mouth thin in displeasure. She bit back the urge to keep talking, unsure. And then he was moving, lifting up off the floor, pushing her into the back of the couch. His hand wrapped around the base of her throat, the meat of his palm resting on her collarbone. He wasn’t squeezing, but his grip brooked no argument. She was not to move.</p>
<p>“<span>If you think I’m going to let you go through a heat without me, </span><em>especially now,</em><span> you are mistaken.”</span></p>
<p>
  <span>He already had, but </span>
  <em>he</em>
  <span> didn’t know that—she may never tell him.</span>
</p>
<p>Eva floundered, “I...I mean—I can’t ask you to...”</p>
<p>He growled, hauling her up to stand on the couch. She wobbled, looking down at him, her hands on his shoulders for balance.</p>
<p>“<span>The second,” he enunciated slow, “The </span><em>second</em><span> I sense you’re in heat, I will be on you. God help us if it starts in the embassy. We’ll be lucky if I don’t knot you in the fucking supply closet.”</span></p>
<p>Eva gasped, scandalized. Although everyone was taught the basics of pair bonding, it still wasn’t talked about so plainly. The image of them lying on the cold tiled floor, helplessly grabbing at each other, him grinding up into her to slot that thick ridge of flesh into her body—she was pretty sure she was blushing all over.</p>
<p>Horacio smiled, full dimpled, his hands sliding up her legs to palm her ass, “If I could have done it last night, I would have.” He pressed his nose to her sternum, “For a moment, I thought I might. You were so hot and wet and smelled so good. Fuck, I’ve never been that hard.”</p>
<p>His arms tightened as he took her weight, carrying her from the living room towards the bedroom. Eva moaned as she felt his erection pressed against her center. He laid her down in the middle of the bed, pulling off her t shirt and shorts, throwing them over the side. There was no way to hide the marks now, the bruises shadowing over her skin in the morning light. Eva watched him look at her body, his expression unreadable.</p>
<p>“Do you hurt?” he asked, eyes catching hers.</p>
<p>Eva did hurt. She was sore in all the right places, little twinges that reminded her constantly of their night together.</p>
<p>“A little,” she answered, her voice low.</p>
<p>He nodded silently, fingers tracing over a particularly deep hickey on her breast. Then, he moved down to her belly, where there was bruising the fit the shape of his hand. He mapped it, fitting his hands over the marks, brows together. Eva squirmed a little, thinking that she should be used to this kind of scrutiny from him by now. The frank assessment and cataloging of her injuries felt like a new experience every time. Anxiously, she awaited whatever judgment he might make.</p>
<p>Crawling up to lay beside her, Horacio nosed along her collarbone, whispering, “Let me make it up to you.”</p>
<p>Eva rolled to her side, facing him. She placed her hand on his shoulder, rubbing gently, “You don’t have to apologize.”</p>
<p>He shook his head, a curl falling over his brow, “I want to. Will you let me?”</p>
<p>Unable to deny him such a sweet thing, Eva nodded, leaning over to kiss him lightly. He sighed into it, hand falling naturally to her waist as he gathered her to him. More little kisses followed, a bare taste of what she knew he was capable of. Eva felt her body go lax, her limbs resting wherever he moved them, her eyes half closed.</p>
<p>Very carefully, he tilted her head back, his mouth tracing a long line from her shoulder to the place where he’d bitten her. She knew it was tender and raw, likely a little swollen—her heartbeat pulsing beneath the skin. Here, he placed the softest kiss of all, barely brushing his lips over it. Eva’s fingers curled into her palm as she trembled.</p>
<p>“I would do it again,” he breathed, a little prayer against her skin, “I would.”</p>
<p>She knew how much that confession cost him, knew it without him having to say a word. Eva’s eyes closed, a strange feeling welling up. It was something more than affection, more than want or need. It sent a weird kind of pain into her chest that was only soothed by pulling him into a hug, her face pressed against his chest.</p>
<p>“Lay back.”</p>
<p>Eva let him roll her to her back, watching his hand as it smoothed a path down the middle of her chest, settling on the soft roundness of her belly. He kissed her brow, letting his forehead press to her temple as he, too, followed the course his hand was taking.</p>
<p>Slowly, gingerly, he swept over her hips and down her thighs, opening them with just a little pressure. He thumbed the bony outcrop of her hip, sliding one finger down the crease where her thigh met it. Eva bit her lip, trying to keep her breathing even.</p>
<p>The backs of his fingers roved upwards, circling her breast, pinching her nipple between his thumb and forefinger. Eva felt her breath leave her in a soft gasp, the feeling oozing from her nipple down to her core. Warmth spread across her skin, goosebumps not far behind.</p>
<p>Leaning down, he sucked the nipple he wasn’t playing with into his mouth, teeth scraping. Eva arched up in offering, a soft little cry escaping her lips. She held him there, one hand in his hair, the other digging into his shoulder—not that she needed to. He seemed perfectly happy to stay right where he was, moving from breast to breast, tongue gliding over her skin.</p>
<p>It wasn’t long before she was squeezing her legs together, the ache in her body rising past her want to keep still and open for him. Horacio lifted up, admiring the way her skin glistened from his kisses. Eyes dark, he tapped the leg nearest to him, a wordless command.</p>
<p>Eva let her hips relax and her knees open wide. He smiled at her, pleased, the pads of his fingers roaming up her inner thigh until they rested against her.</p>
<p>“You’ll tell me if it hurts.”</p>
<p>Not a question. His voice had dropped down an octave, the directive clear and concise. Eva would not be able to deny him, not in this, either. Using ever increasing pressure, he spread her slick up and down. Meticulously, he separated each lip, gathering the wetness and ensuring there was a nice, easy coating. Eva’s limbs flinched each time he circled upwards to round her clit, not quite touching the sensitive bundle of nerves.</p>
<p>Slipping down, he circled her opening, much as he had done the previous evening. A slow, even pace, Horacio took his time with it. Pleasure surged every time he put a little bit more pressure on it, not quite breaching.</p>
<p>Eva whined, tilting her hips as she tried to get him to go just a little bit further. It would do no good, she knew that. He was going to do what he was going do, at the pace he wanted to do it. It was a stark contrast to the previous night, where his body had taken over completely, an animal loosed on her. Now, he’d regained control and it appeared that he was determined to keep it.</p>
<p>She bit her lip, fighting the urge to grab at his wrist, to hold him steady and drive down onto his fingers. This was as much for him as it was for her, and though she wasn’t nearly as patient, she could try. That didn’t mean that she was perfectly abiding by his unsaid plan. Eva rolled with every stroke, moaning and writhing as the pleasure built.</p>
<p>Horacio was definitely not unaffected. His erection dug into her side, though she could tell he was making an effort to keep from grinding it against her. Eva had tried to touch him a few times, but he pushed her hands away, his focus entirely on her.</p>
<p>When finally, <em>finally,</em> he eased a finger into her, Eva keened as if he’d worked his cock into her, the muscles of her body clenching down. He paused, thumb swiping ever so softly against her clit, his eyes on her face. He watched her breathe, her eyes squinting at the pain laced pleasure he was giving her.</p>
<p>“Do you want me to stop?”</p>
<p>He’d asked the same question the night before, only this time he wasn’t smirking. Looking concerned, he waited for her answer, hand perfectly still inside her.</p>
<p>“No,” Eva replied, swallowing around a dry throat.</p>
<p>After another beat, he huffed out a breath through his nose, his wrist turning as he eased the digit in and out of her, curling it slightly to catch on her g spot every time he pulled out. Eva felt her eyes roll back as he pushed another finger into her, stroking along her walls.</p>
<p>His name coming out in four sharp syllables, Eva grabbed at the pillow beneath her head. She was exhausted and sore and she <em>still</em> wanted to come. Digging her feet into the mattress, Eva met his measured thrusts, a little ‘unh, unh, unh’ eeking out with every one.</p>
<p>Breaths stuttering, her body flexed, bowing up as she came. He cooed at her, his free hand pushing the hair from her face as he kissed everywhere he could reach. Eva had a hard time catching her breath, her body shivering despite the heat of him laying next to her.</p>
<p>“Alright?” he asked, looking her over.</p>
<p>Blinking, she smiled at him, lifting up to kiss him soundly on the mouth, “I’m good.”</p>
<p>Glancing down, she realized that he was still hard, tenting the material of his sweatpants. When she went to stroke him, he caught her hand, bringing it up to his lips to give it a soft kiss of censure.</p>
<p>“That was for you,” he explained, shifting to his back and pulling her over to lay against his chest.</p>
<p>They laid like that for an hour or so, until her stomach growled. He laughed and swatted her thigh lightly, telling her to get dressed and that he was taking her to lunch. Not far from his house, there was a little cafe, the smell of food wafting out into the street. Eva was surprised when he set her down into a chair next to him rather than across from him, as he usually did. She was even more surprised when he held her hand on the table.</p>
<p>He caught her questioning gaze, “Its impossible to hide, now. Anyone would be able to tell the second they got into a room with us.”</p>
<p>That...was not untrue. He’d started the mating process, and their bodies would continue to adjust and change to that process the longer it went on. Even after the bite healed, she’d carry his scent just as much as he would carry hers.</p>
<p>“I...have to broach the subject of safety, Eva,” he started, “I’d like to put an officer on you, at least when I’m not there.”</p>
<p>Eva rolled her eyes, “Is that necessary?”</p>
<p>He bobbed his head, “It is. I do have a bounty on my head, and they aren’t above using people I care about to…”</p>
<p>His words trailed off, but Eva knew what he was getting at. She could be used as bait, to get him to act, to scare him, to get him to do what they wanted. Sighing, she nodded, not willing to fight with him about it, knowing that she wouldn’t win, anyways.</p>
<p>They were almost through with their meal when Eva spotted her, a tall, willowy blonde walking in heels too tall a stroll through this kind of neighborhood. Her fork clattered to her plate, startling the man next to her. He followed her line of sight, squinting.</p>
<p>Eva could not be lucky enough that she wouldn’t be seen, and her heart nearly surged out of her chest as the object of her ire saw her, scowled, and changed course. She stood, circling around the table to meet her.</p>
<p>“Hello, Myra,” she greeted, not quite keeping her voice even.</p>
<p>Myra had aged a little in the fifteen years since she’d last seen her, though her plastic surgeon was doing a remarkable job at keeping her looking young. She tugged off her sunglasses and regarded Eva balefully.</p>
<p>“Evangeline. Funny meeting you here.”</p>
<p>
  <em>Yes, funny meeting you on a road scarcely visited by tourists, in another county, in another fucking hemisphere.</em>
</p>
<p>“Life is funny sometimes,” Eva responded, a rasp in her voice.</p>
<p>Myra glanced behind Eva, and she could see the woman assessing Horacio, her upper lip curling.</p>
<p>“I see you’ve found yourself someone to clean up after you.”</p>
<p>
  <span>She </span>
  <em>would not</em>
  <span> rise to the bait. She’d done that enough when she was fourteen. </span>
  <span>Eva was an adult and would act like one.</span>
</p>
<p>“I don’t think that’s any of your business. Not anymore.”</p>
<p>
  <span>Myra glared, jaw ticking, “It is my business. It will always be my business. You </span>
  <em>killed my boy</em>
  <span>. And, here you are, eating lunch on a sunny afternoon while he rots.”</span>
</p>
<p>Eva took several deep breaths, trying to keep herself calm, “I moved on, Myra. You should, too.”</p>
<p>Pointing a finger at her, Myra growled, “It should have been you.”</p>
<p>A glint caught Eva’s eye and she glanced down to find that Myra was wearing her fucking wedding ring and engagement band on her first finger, the stones shining. The audacity of wearing the symbol of everything that had hurt her for seven long years broke something inside. She bared her teeth.</p>
<p>“<span>No,” she spit, “You knew what he was. You raised him to be a disgusting, abusive prick. You </span><em>watched him</em><span> beat me after that dinner party and you did nothing! There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t fucking rejoice that I killed your psychopath of a son.”</span></p>
<p>The slap, when it came, was expected. Eva’s head whipped to the side and she heard the scratch of the chair as Horacio stood. Quickly, she held a hand up, silently begging him to stand down. She watched Myra watch him, her mouth smirking.</p>
<p>“Like mother, like son,” she said, taking a step away and wiping at her mouth. She wasn’t bleeding, but the skin was smarting.</p>
<p>Myra drew back, gripping her handbag.</p>
<p>Sneering, Eva simply said, “Go back to whatever you were doing. You’re not wanted, here.”</p>
<p>Myra’s scowl deepened for a moment, and then she was smiling the smile she used when she was dealing with a particularly distasteful dinner guest.</p>
<p>“Until next time.”</p>
<p>Eva watched her march down the street until she turned a corner, her blonde hair swinging behind her. She didn’t look back, and Eva didn’t know how she would react if she had. Her teeth hurt from clenching her jaw so hard.</p>
<p>Hands touched her shoulders in question. Eva reached up and covered them, sniffing back the tears.</p>
<p>“I want to go home.”</p>
<p>He was already moving, “I’ll get the check.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Chapter 13</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The club was the largest in the city. Lights were flashing, catching on the smoke rising from the crowd. Eva threw back the shot and winced, the alcohol burning her throat. Music pounded in her ears, the vibration of the bass hitting her square in the chest. Connie leaned over and yelled something, but Eva couldn’t hear it. She looked angry, maybe a little concerned. A second later, she saw the officer. He was speaking to their assigned body guard for the night, gesturing towards them.</p>
<p>He looked deeply uncomfortable in his uniform, and he was drawing not a few unkind stares. Connie dragged her out and it wasn’t until they hit the street that Eva could hear her cursing loudly.</p>
<p>“We were supposed to have the night off—<em>She</em><span> was supposed to have the night off.”</span></p>
<p>The officer looked remorseful, replying in Spanish. She caught the apology. She also caught Javier’s name. Her interest piqued.</p>
<p>“What’s going on?”</p>
<p>Connie flicked her hair back from her face, hands on her hips, “They want you to come to a crime scene.”</p>
<p>
  <span>Eva was a little more than shocked, her mouth dropping open, </span>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>What? Why?”</span>
</p>
<p>She shrugged, “He won’t say.”</p>
<p>Eva rolled her eyes, thinking that this was probably yet another time where Javi needed her eyes. She just wished it hadn’t come at a time when she was just this side of tipsy and on a girl’s night with Connie. Their outings were generally kept to a minimum, the attacks on agents, police, and their family members escalating.</p>
<p>Following the officers, Connie at her side, Eva headed for the jeep parked not far from the club’s entrance, her heels clicking on the pavement. She really wished she hadn’t taken that last shot. The alcohol ran rampant through her system, and she could feel herself smile at the absurdity, even through the frustration of being called to work when she was supposed to be having fun.</p>
<p>The ride over was tense and almost completely silent, the streetlights passing in a blur as Eva did her best to sober up a little. She smoothed the wrinkles of her dress, a bright red, flowy thing that swung around her knees as she walked. She’d picked out a pair of gold high heeled sandals that were impossible to dance in for the specific purpose of being able to complain about her feet so that Connie couldn’t drag her to the dance floor every three minutes.</p>
<p>
  <span>When they arrived, it was to what looked like a closed scene. Connie was asked to stay by the car and Eva was escorted towards the front door of a small office building. </span>
  <span>It was nondescript, glass doorway, stone facing. As she stepped towards the walkway an angry voice called out loudly behind her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>H</span>
  <span>e was livid. She could see it in the forward cant of his shoulder, in his clenching jaw, in the narrowing of his eyes. He moved quickly, booted feet sounded across the pavement. </span>
  <span>Eva glanced at the office at her elbow and felt not a small bit of pity. </span>
  <span>Carrillo had obviously not been informed of the invitation she’d been extended. </span>
  <span>Eva was apparently in breach of several protocols.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>What surprised her was that he didn’t yell. Carrillo spoke in a low, threatening tone that even Eva could understand. When his head tilted to the side, she knew he’d asked a question and expected and answer pretty fucking fast. </span>
  <span>The officer stuttered and Eva almost stepped in, physically took a step forward, stopping when he shot her a look of fierce censure.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The door opened behind her and Eva swung around to see Javi walking through it, both hands up, mouth already moving. He spoke to each of them, hands flexing as he (very likely) explained the situation. The officer muttered something, and Carrillo hissed a reply that made the officer literally flinch, </span>
  <span>then scurry away.</span>
</p>
<p>“Listen, man, I was going to talk with you,” Javi started, “I just got distracted by…”</p>
<p>He waved towards the doors of the building. Eva followed the movement, curious about what she was about to be walked into.</p>
<p>Carrillo put his hands on his hips, glaring, “She shouldn’t be here.”</p>
<p>Javier rolled his eyes, “She’s got good eyes and we fuckin’ need ‘em.”</p>
<p>
  <span>Not comfortable with being talked about as if she weren’t hearing it, </span>
  <span>Eva scoffed, “</span>
  <em>She </em>
  <span>is standing in high heels and would like to either get to it, or go home.”</span>
</p>
<p>Carrillo’s eyes dropped down, taking in her shoe choice. Then, his eyes followed the line of her legs to the hem of her skirt, higher to the cinched in waist, sweetheart neckline, and the dainty gold chain around her throat. She preened a little, gratified by the interest sparking in his gaze.</p>
<p>Javi pulled his pack out of his breast pocket, tapping out a cigarette, “This is a bad one, Eva. Really gory shit going on in there.”</p>
<p>Eva thought he was probably forgetting that she’d bludgeoned someone to death and had dealt with that trauma rather effectively. There wasn’t much that could make her truly sick, anymore.</p>
<p>
  <span>She shrugged, “</span>
  <span>If its too much, I’ll say so.</span>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p>Javi looked from Eva to Carrillo, who sighed, “Fine.”</p>
<p>He walked around Eva and opened the door, gesturing for them to enter. The lobby was elegantly decorated, a plush red carpet, smooth wooden furniture. Eva followed Carrillo’s steps through a hallway to an office door. He stopped in front of it, looking at Eva seriously.</p>
<p>“You don’t have anything to prove in this room. If you want to leave, you leave.”</p>
<p>Eva’s heart gave a little hiccup, her mind too curious to see what was in that room to refuse the opportunity to assuage it. She nodded, patting Carrillo’s chest and turning to look at the contents of the room.</p>
<p>Javi was right. This was some seriously gory shit. Eva paused, taking in the scene. Her hands gripped her clutch a little too tightly, the closure digging into the meat of her palm.</p>
<p>Carrillo made a sound of contempt, “Okay, let’s go.”</p>
<p>Eva shook her head, “No, I’m fine. What’s one more for the nightmare file, right?”</p>
<p>
  <span>She entered the room, the smell of blood immediately assaulting her nose. </span>
  <span>Care</span>
  <span>ful</span>
  <span> to follow the mapped out path the officers had created to keep the integrity of the scene, Eva made her way to the body. The room was an office—large, two storied. A staircase led upwards towards a bookcase that lines three of the four walls on the upper mezzanine. At the back of the room was a large and ornate desk. Sitting at the desk was a man.</span>
</p>
<p>His button up was open to the middle of his chest, his hands braced on the armrests of his chair. His head was tilted back and his throat was slit open, the muscles separated and the tongue pulled through to rest over the gaping wound.</p>
<p>Eva was glad she’d drank a little that day. If she hadn’t, she might have turned tail and run. As it was, she merely handed Javi her clutch and picked out two rubber gloves from the box sitting on the floor. Taking slow, even steps, she circled the desk and leaned over the body. His eyes were closed, but his mouth had frozen in a pained grimace.</p>
<p>She looked at the wound, “Whoever did this probably has medical experience, maybe a vet.”</p>
<p>Javi pulled his notebook from his back pocket and started scribbling. Eva glanced around, looking at the desk and the floor.</p>
<p>“They didn’t do it here—or, they laid down plastic. There’s no blood splatter.”</p>
<p>More scratching of pencil on paper.</p>
<p>
  <span>The fingers of the right hand were strange, posed so that the first and middle digits were straight out, as if...Eva followed the direction. On the upper floor, there was a space between the bookcases. In a gilt frame </span>
  <span>was a painting, or possibly a print of a painting. Eva was pretty sure the “Birth of Venus” was hanging in a museum somewhere.</span>
</p>
<p>Curious, she stepped to the staircase, easing up it carefully in her heels.</p>
<p>“What is it?” Carrillo called out, his arms crossed over his chest.</p>
<p>“That painting,” Eva answered, already moving towards it. “Its a Botticelli.”</p>
<p>From behind her, Eva could hear Javier give a rough chuckle. Her attention was on the way the frame was just a little off center, hanging oddly to the left. Leaning in, she noticed a tiny red arrow, pointing towards the frame. She eyed it, looking for further clues, widening her scope with every pass. Other than the print looking tacky when put into such an expensive frame, Eva couldn’t see anything else out of the ordinary. She looked at the arrow again. Maybe…</p>
<p>With careful hands, Eva pulled the frame from the wall, setting it aside. When she looked back at the place where it had been, she wished so fucking hard that she hadn’t touched it. Drawn in hard, red paint was a large oblong circle, a slash striking through it from the top right to the bottom left. Stumbling back to the railing, Eva stared at it, feeling tears forming in her eyes.</p>
<p>Swallowing, she tried to take a breath—tried and failed. As if from far away, she could hear her name being called. Black spots appeared in her vision. She couldn’t get air. Her hands gripped the rail as she fought to stay upright.</p>
<p>This could not be happening. This simply couldn’t happen. Eva still couldn’t breathe, a croak bleeding out from her throat. Wavering, her vision narrowed to pinpoints, the patterned carpet design swirling. She fell. She fainted.</p>
<p>
  <span>Waking was a difficult thing. Her eyes felt scratchy, her head hurt. </span>
  <span>She was staring at the ceiling, a face appearing from her peripheral. </span>
</p>
<p>“Eva, talk to me. Are you alright?”</p>
<p>He looked...like he was freaking out. That was to be expected. She’d just passed out at a crime scene.</p>
<p>
  <span>“<span>I’m…</span></span>
  <span>
    <span>,” she had been about to say ‘okay’, but that wasn’t true. She was not okay. She might never be okay. </span>
  </span>
</p>
<p>Sitting up, Eva scooted back to lean against the rail. Carrillo was on one side of her, Javier on the other, both of them kneeling. She sighed, looking up at the spray painted warning on the wall.</p>
<p>“I have good news and I have bad news,” she said, pushing her hair over her shoulders. “The good news is that I know who your killer is.”</p>
<p>Javier’s brows drew together, “How the fuck do you know that?”</p>
<p>Eva ignored the question, choosing to offer the good news first, “His name is Alexei Volkov, sometimes called “The Russian”, but more notably known as,” she pointed to the wall, “Zero.”</p>
<p>“What kind of name is that?”</p>
<p>Eva worked to stand, saying, “Stands for how many people he’s left alive.”</p>
<p>Next to her, Carrillo hovered, looking unsure as to whether or not he should touch her. His hands curled into fists and released.</p>
<p>“What’s the bad news?”</p>
<p>She swallowed, willing herself to say the words, “The bad news is that you are looking at a dead woman.”</p>
<p>Below, Steve hollered a tentative, “Hello?”</p>
<p>“Up here,” Javier called down, arching over the railing.</p>
<p>Tired, Eva pushed through them and headed down the staircase, walking through the room and sitting on one of the low stools near the door.</p>
<p>“What happened to you?” Steve asked, his voice an amiable drawl.</p>
<p>“Oh, you know,” Eva joked, “Just coming face to face with my own mortality.”</p>
<p>“What does that mean?” Horacio asked, standing nearby, his spine straight and alert.</p>
<p>Eva her head in her hands because she couldn’t look at any of them when she told this story, “Zero was one of Josh’s hitmen. He was brutal, efficient, and stupidly patient. He could wait out a mark for months, as long as there wasn’t a deadline.” She pulled her toes towards her shins, relieving some of the pressure on her feet from the heels, “He was also Josh’s best friend. They spent every waking minute together, when Zero wasn’t out on a job. He was fucking everywhere.”</p>
<p>There were many nights Zero sat patiently in the den while Josh did whatever he was going to do to her, sometimes he watched. Most of the time, he got up and left. Passive acceptance that, if Josh couldn’t hurt her, he’d end up making some idiotic decision that would affect the influence of their trade, something Zero would have to clean up. Zero wasn’t a fan of cleaning up Josh’s messes.</p>
<p>She closed her eyes, trying to keep the tears from falling, “And, he was such a fucking drama queen—liked to taunt his victims, let them know he was coming for them beforehand. That’s what this,” she pointed to the wall above them, “Is about. He’s letting me know that the family has finally called in the hit on me.”</p>
<p>There was a beat of silence, Eva still unable to look at them.</p>
<p>And then Javier said, “Fuck.”</p>
<p>She pointed blindly at him, “Very succinct. And accurate. He’s been following me since I got here, at least. Possibly before I even left the states.”</p>
<p>Lifting her head, she chanced a glance at Horacio. She could see the wheels turning in his head. He was working through this, and she knew he was already forming a plan. Her heart hurt for the fact that she would definitely have to thwart it. Zero didn’t let people get in the way of his target. She didn’t know what she would do if he became collateral damange.</p>
<p>“There’s one thing I don’t understand,” she said slowly.</p>
<p>“One thing?” Steve asked, his voice high.</p>
<p>
  <span>
    <span>She stood, eyes glancing around the room, “He couldn’t be sure that I would find the mark, he wouldn’t know that you’d call me down here. What he </span>
  </span>
  <em>
    <span>would </span>
  </em>
  <span>
    <span>do is make sure the message got delivered, one way or another.”</span>
  </span>
</p>
<p>The move with the painting was artistic and flamboyant, but kind of a gamble. Eva looked at the body. This kind of dissection wasn’t his bag. He usually used guns, or poison if he needed to, knives if he needed to be quiet. This was too much work. Squinting, Eva approached him, her hand reaching out for the wound. Biting back the bile, she lifted the tongue. Yeah. There it was. With her other hand, she pushed her fingers into the throat, grasping the little container and pulling it free.</p>
<p>With half a turn, she held it up, “Steve, can you get these developed quickly?”</p>
<p>He was already opening up a plastic evidence bag, “I know a guy.”</p>
<p>And then she was left staring at Carrillo and Javier. Eva pulled off the glove of one hand, balling it up in the other, and pulling the glove of the other hand over top, throwing them into a designated waste bin. She moved out of the room without another word, her mind already working through the options.</p>
<p>She could get home, get packed, and be out of the country in less than six hours. Mentally, she was already going through her belongings to identify what was essential.</p>
<p>A hand caught her arm, stopping her. Eva turned on her heels, looking up at Horacio’s concerned face.</p>
<p>“Where are you going?”</p>
<p>She shrugged, “I have to pack.”</p>
<p>He frowned, “You’re going to run?”</p>
<p>Eva nodded.</p>
<p>“Won’t that break your contract?”</p>
<p>Shit, she’d forgotten about that. She debated the pros and cons—she’d have to keep running, both from Zero and from the US government. In for a penny…</p>
<p>“No,” he said with finality, “You’re not leaving.”</p>
<p>Eva lifted a brow, “I’m not?”</p>
<p>He shook his head, taking her arm and leading her out of the building, “We’ll go to your apartment and pick up a few items. I’ll make some calls while you pack.”</p>
<p>She blinked up at him while she walked, following him out to the truck. He hoisted her inside, closing the door and moving around to the driver’s side. Quick, calm, effective. It wasn’t until that engine turned over that she spoke.</p>
<p>“I assume you have a plan in mind,” Eva drawled, feeling just a little bit ireful. The logical part of her kept yelling that she had to put distance between them, that she had to beg as far away as possible. And yet, here she was, going along with him.</p>
<p>He gave one sharp nod, “There’s a safe house deep in the forest. I’ll take you there.”</p>
<p>She scoffed, “Oh, sure, isolated safe house in the middle of nowhere. He’d snipe me from the trees.”</p>
<p>Carrillo shot her a glare that could have curdled dairy, “Its surrounded by a rock face on three sides. Just one entrance in and out. From what you said in there, this is personal. He’s going to want to get his hands dirty—no distance kills.”</p>
<p>He was <em>goddamn right</em>. Eva felt herself scowl.</p>
<p>“That still leaves the trees. He’s not stupid, and he could wait us out. You can’t stay there for months on end—you have a job to do.”</p>
<p>“I have an omega to protect,” he countered, hands tightening on the wheel.</p>
<p>God, that felt good to hear. Eva had to full body tackle the impulse to touch him, to relay how grateful she felt.</p>
<p>“You don’t have to,” she whispered, torn. “I can just...go. Slip out of the county—I probably have some contacts I could get ahold of, to cover my tracks.”</p>
<p>He made a sound that Eva couldn’t quite place, a strangled groan of deep distaste. His hands turned the wheel, his feet applying the brakes, until they slowed to a stop on the side of the road.</p>
<p>Turning to look at her, he asked, “Is that what you want to do? Leave?”</p>
<p>She croaked, “I want to live.”</p>
<p>This was a new feeling for her. Eva had spent more than half of her life either wanting it to end or existing solely for the benefit for another. And, now, when she was so close to being able to make her own choices in all things, she was faced with the realization of her own imminent demise.</p>
<p>Horacio cup her cheek, his thumb pressing to the little divot below her lower lip, “I’m gonna make sure that happens. Trust me.”</p>
<p>She wanted to. Eva wanted to trust in him more than she’d wanted anything in her entire life.</p>
<p>“He’ll kill you,” she muttered, “Just to get to me.”</p>
<p>This was the truth. Zero had no qualms with taking out obstacles to his targets. He’d once systematically offed an entire bloodline over the course of a year in order to eliminate a fierce competitor of Josh’s.</p>
<p>Horacio smiled, “You think he’s the first hitman I’ve ever had to deal with?”</p>
<p>Involuntarily, she smiled, “With all due respect, this isn’t your typical hitman. He’s Russian, and therefore bat-shit crazy.”</p>
<p>Mouth quirking, he replied, “Then, he’ll fit right in with the others.”</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Horacio,” she pleaded, “I’m serious. He is dangerous.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>T</span>
  <span>aking both of her hands, he laid a kiss on both, his thumbs rubbing over them, “So am I.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And that was that. He took her to her apartment and led her to the door, a gun in his hand and his eyes scanning for danger. </span>
  <span>Standing at the door, she watched him sweep the apartment before he let her more than two feet inside. Leaning against the wall, she smiled at him, warmed by the way he took no risks.</span>
</p>
<p>After he’d cleared each room, Eva dropped her clutch by the door and headed for the bedroom, tapping her answering machine as she went by.</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>You have one new message:</span>
  </em>
  <span>
    <span> “Hello, Eva.”</span>
  </span>
</p>
<p>She froze, eyes closing as a voice from her distant past sounded in her ears.</p>
<p>
  <span>“<span>I hope you’ve enjoyed your reprieve,” he said, his accent thick over the modulated line, “I hope you’re ready to face the consequences of your actions. I’ll see you soon, </span></span>
  <span>
    <span>B</span>
  </span>
  <em>
    <span>irdie.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Birdie</span>
  </em>
  <span>
    <span>. Josh had called her that for most of their marriage, the moniker </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>s</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>o prevalent that most of his men called her that, too. She hated it. </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>Just hearing the name made her feel like she was fourteen again, crying and shaking because she was so God damned scared of the man she’d married.</span>
  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>
    <span>Her name sounded—her actual name. Eva opened her eyes, staring blankly at the hallway ahead. </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>He said her name again, and she blinked, breathing deeply.</span>
  </span>
</p>
<p>“I’m gonna pack,” she said, stepping forward, her shoulders set. “I’ll be quick.”</p>
<p>
  <span>
    <span>And, she was. Eva put her entire life into three bags—her clothes, a few pieces of jewelry she cherished, her toiletries. It all fit into such a small amount of space that it reminded her how much she hadn’t set roots down—always moving, always leaving things behind. </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>Quickly, she changed out of her dress and heels, setting them inside the closet. She wouldn’t be needing them, not in the near future.</span>
  </span>
</p>
<p>Movement sounded at the door, Horacio was tentatively stepping inside the room, “Are you ready?”</p>
<p>She nodded, pulling the bags up from the bed and hoisting one over her shoulder, “I’m ready.”</p>
<p>He spared her only a momentary glance before he was walking her out of the apartment building to his truck. From there, they drove maybe an hour, winding through the city, taking turn after turn, until they had to stop for gas.</p>
<p>While they waited for the attendant, Eva kept her gaze out through the window, “What about you?”</p>
<p>He hummed in question.</p>
<p>“Do you have to get your things?”</p>
<p>Horacio shook his head, “Trujillo is stopping by my place. He’ll meet us at the gate.”</p>
<p>And then they were back on the road, driving for almost two more hours in a winding path. Eva had recognized about thirty minutes in that he was checking for a tail. She thought he was doing a pretty good job of either annoying the shit out of them or losing them entirely. When they made it out of the city, the road got narrower, and it would have been very clear if someone was following them. As it was, everything around them was dark.</p>
<p>
  <span>
    <span>The forest got thicker, crowding around them and blocking out the moonlight overhead. Eva chewed on her thumbnail, not liking that their field of vision was so diminished. </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>After a while, </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>they came to an iron gate. H</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>e pulled off the road and hopped out, gesturing for her to follow. From the bed of the truck, he pulled out her bags, setting them on the side of the road.</span>
  </span>
</p>
<p>“Well,” he said, hands on his hips, “You’re going to get your wish.”</p>
<p>
  <span>
    <span>Eva </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>shot him a confused look.</span>
  </span>
</p>
<p>“We’re going to have to hike.”</p>
<p>Headlights appears from over the hill, coming from where they had driven in. Horacio pushed her back behind the treeline, pulling his pistol and waiting until a figure stepped out of the car.</p>
<p>“Carrillo!”</p>
<p>
  <span>
    <span>Next to her, Horacio relaxed, holstering his weapon, “Aqu</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>í</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>.”</span>
  </span>
</p>
<p>They talked for a moment, Trujillo handing off a large duffel to the other man. Eva kept her eyes on the world around her, listening for anything that might signal danger.</p>
<p>“We need to move,” Horacio urged, swinging his bag over his shoulder and picking up one of hers.</p>
<p>Looking between the two vehicles, Eva flicked out her fingers, “Won’t the truck be a dead giveaway.”</p>
<p>He nodded, “Trujillo will take care of it. Means we’ll be pretty much stuck up there. I’ve got supplies coming in by air tomorrow.”</p>
<p>She stared at him, her mouth wide fucking open in shock. When did he have the time to...how did he manage?</p>
<p>Pulling the bag further up onto his shoulder, he nodded to the trail, “C’mon.”</p>
<p>
  <span>
    <span>Eva mirrored him, hoisting one bag over a shoulder and carrying the other. </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>The path wasn’t well trod, overgrown. </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>Eva stumbled a few times, but kept pace with him as he soldiered through the brush, </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>sweat running over her brow</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>. They’d gone maybe a mile before the path widened drastically. In the moonlight stood a small cabin, two stories, inviting porch. </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>Behind it, and all around Eva could see the drop off, could hear the roll of waves. He’d taken her clear to the ocean.</span>
  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>
    <span>After keying in, they set their bags down in the living room, the furniture covered in sheets of varying colors. </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>Eva watched as he turned on a light and kicked on the air. </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>Then, the turned her attention to the cabin, itself. </span>
  </span>
</p>
<p>Calling it a cabin was, perhaps, not accurate. It was a house, decorated elegantly—hardwood floors, smooth copper fixtures, splashes of bright colors here and there.</p>
<p>“This is...not what I imagined a safe house would be.”</p>
<p>He smiled, approached and taking one of her hands to lead her deeper inside, “Its a family home, on my mother’s side.”</p>
<p>Eva stopped, “This belongs to your family.”</p>
<p>Looking back, he nodded, tugging her along.</p>
<p>“Horacio,” Eva bit out, suddenly angry, “This would be public record. He’ll find it, and he will come here.”</p>
<p>His smile, when it came, was not genial, “I’m counting on it.”</p>
<p>“The fuck does that mean?” She pulled away, leaving them standing there, looking at each other, in dim light. Crossing her arms, she waited for an answer.</p>
<p>“Follow me,” he prompted, already moving down the hall again.</p>
<p>
  <span>
    <span>Against her better judgment, she did. He led her down to what she was pretty sure was the master bedroom. It was large, windows lining one wall, a massive bed pushed against them. </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>Carrillo walked to a small nook in the corner and pressed one hand against it. A fucking secret door.</span>
  </span>
</p>
<p>Eva closed her eyes, trying to quell some of her anger, before she stepped forward and through it. A small cot, a desk, and a large bureau were all that were inside. He opened the bureau and showed her a considerable stock of guns and ammunition.</p>
<p>“The walls are padded with three inch steel. There is an auxiliary power source and several days of rations.”</p>
<p>Eva’s gaze narrowed, “Its a panic room.”</p>
<p>She was suddenly reminded that he’d been living under the threat of assassination for a long time, and had probably had this contingency plan set up for himself, should the time come.</p>
<p>He nodded, “When he comes, you’ll be in here, and I’ll deal with him.”</p>
<p>The words caught so hard in her throat that her voice cracked, “And if he kills you.”</p>
<p>Stepping into her space, her pinched her chin between his thumb and forefinger, “Then, you deal with him.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Chapter 14</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The ocean was huge. Wind blowing her hair around her face as Eva sat on the cliff’s edge, her feet swinging. The waves were rushing towards her, the tide coming in. She could taste salt in the air, could feel a light spray even from this height. This was really, really nice.</p>
<p>Footsteps sounded behind her, Horacio ambling up the slight incline. He was wearing a t shirt and jeans, a far cry from his normal attire. Eva admired the way the denim clung to his legs, the shirt stretching to accommodate the breadth of his body. She gave him a little wave before turning her attention back to the water. He sat down next to her. They had spent almost a week at the house, their existence a soft moseying pace that belied the very real danger to their lives.</p>
<p>“Do you come here a lot?”</p>
<p>He shook his head, “I used to, back before I took the badge. The work kind of got in the way of taking any time off.”</p>
<p>She had seen that first hand, could tell that he was desperately soaking up the softness of this little hideaway, storing it for when he needed it most. Tucked away as they were, Eva could almost forget all of the turmoil waiting for them when they returned. She imagined he felt nearly the same way.</p>
<p>“Shame that you’re here under these circumstances. This is a nice place.”</p>
<p>Eva could see him look at her from the corner of her eye. He placed a hand atop hers, “Its not a shame, just a compromise.”</p>
<p>Her mouth thinned, “Still…” She trailed off, not sure where she was going with the sentence.</p>
<p>He squeezed her hand, “Up. Dinner’s ready.”</p>
<p>Eva was not much of a cook, though she was pretty good at making staple foods. Horacio, on the other hand, clearly learned something from his mother. The way he handled himself in the kitchen was much like he did at work—mission oriented. Eva would sometimes sit at the dining table and flip through an old magazine, not really reading it. She like to watch him move around, a knife in hand to chop vegetables, or flipping over meat in the pan to brown it.</p>
<p>Today’s meal was a stuffed pepper, spices wafted in the air. He’d made rice to go alongside it. From the cellar, he’d pulled a bottle of wine, two glasses already waiting at their usual spots. Eva couldn’t keep the smile off her face as she sat down. He’d already plated their food and she leaned down, inhaling.</p>
<p>“This looks amazing,” she murmured, picking up her fork, “Thank you.”</p>
<p>He made a non-committal sound, as he usually did when she complimented him on his cooking. She cast him a long glance, noting that he was avoiding her gaze by pouring the wine. He did that a lot, took the praise she gave him and pulled it inside himself. She could tell he was pleased by the little flush across his cheeks, but other than that, it was as if he hadn’t heard her. She wondered if that was a product of his life—couldn’t be too eager for approval.</p>
<p>After dinner, Horacio left her on the couch to do a walk of the perimeter, as he did every evening before they locked up. It would take one of his patented interrogation techniques to get her to admit how attractive it was to watch him load a rifle and take the path around the house and out towards the woods.</p>
<p>He would be gone for an hour or so, depending on what he decided needed further investigation. Eva passed the time by taking a long shower and reading yet another way too old magazine in bed. The bedroom windows were open and the breeze was carrying the smell of the ocean inside.</p>
<p>The sun was almost set when he came back, moving into the bedroom and storing the rifle in a case that he kept laying on the chest at the foot of the bed. He straightened and looked at her for a long moment.</p>
<p>“What?” she asked, feeling anxious under his steady stare.</p>
<p>His expression softened, “I like you like this.”</p>
<p>Laughing softly, she lifted a brow, “You mean wearing a t shirt I’ve owned for five years and my hair still wet because I couldn’t be bothered to dry it?”</p>
<p>The corner of his mouth quirked up, “I mean relaxed.”</p>
<p>Eva supposed that she <em>was</em><span> relaxed, though she had every reason not to be. </span><span>She liked him relaxed, too.</span></p>
<p>“I feel safe.”</p>
<p>Jaw going lax, he regarded her for a few more seconds before giving a curt nod and turn, “I’m gonna get cleaned up.”</p>
<p>
  <span>Eva noticed that he took a little longer in the shower than usual, had done so since they got to the safe house. She tried not to read into it too deeply, knowing that he was off his schedule. </span>
  <span>And, everyone needed alone time. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When he left the bathroom, steam billowed out behind him, carrying the scent of his body wash. </span>
  <span>He was wearing his usual boxer briefs in a deep maroon. It was a good color for him, accenting the warm undertones of his skin. She stared at him, unabashed, </span>
  <span>and wondered how she’d gotten so lucky as to share a bed with such a beautiful man.</span>
</p>
<p>“<span>What?” he asked, noting her look as he crawled in beside her to lay on top of the covers.</span></p>
<p>Eva set her magazine on the night stand and rolled to her side, bracing on her palm so that she hovered above his prone body.</p>
<p>“I like you like this.”</p>
<p>In the next second, Eva got to see those adorable dimples, his teeth flashing as he smiled. She leaned down and kissed him affectionately.</p>
<p>When he spoke next, his voice reverberated against her ear where it lay on his chest. He toyed with her hand, threading his fingers through it.</p>
<p>“We’ve come a long way these last few months.”</p>
<p>She hummed, nodding. His hand was calloused in a few places, the longer fingers curling over her palm. Her hand looked small when he held it, her wrist even smaller, her forearm positively tiny when compared to his.</p>
<p>“I never would have guessed after that meeting that I’d get to bring you here.”</p>
<p>
  <span>Eva grinned, </span>
  <span>looking up at him, “I was a fucking mess after that meeting. I hope you know that.”</span>
</p>
<p>The features of his face tightened in a peculiar way, an involuntary twitch.</p>
<p>Eva’s grin widened, “That was an inside thought.”</p>
<p>Laughing, Horacio admitted, “It was.”</p>
<p>“Tell me.”</p>
<p>
  <span>He started to shake his head, but Eva shifted to her belly, resting her weight on one elbow. She said his name in </span>
  <span>four</span>
  <span> long, drawn out, teasing syllables.</span>
</p>
<p>Pulling his lips between his teeth and releasing them, he simply said, “I was also a fucking mess.”</p>
<p>“<span>Yeah?”</span></p>
<p>“<span>Yeah,” he echoed, one hand coming up to run over his face, top to bottom. He covered his eyes, chin tilting up, “I…” deep sigh, “I went into rut after that meeting.”</span></p>
<p>Her brows hit her hairline, “Really?”</p>
<p>He dropped his hand to the pillow beside his head, the fingers relaxed, “I told you it took less than twenty four hours for me to start trying to figure out how to see you again.”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Eva confirmed, “But I assumed you were just, I don’t know, thinking about me.”</p>
<p>Smirking, he said, “Oh, I was.”</p>
<p>Her breath caught a little bit, arousal blooming in her belly as she imagined him in rut, helplessly trying to get off as he thought about her.</p>
<p>
  <span>Voice dropping low</span>
  <span>, Eva prompted, “Really?”</span>
</p>
<p>His eyes darkened as he tucked her hair behind her ear, “I barely made it home before I—I didn’t even get past the front door. Just dropped down to the floor and thought about how delicious you smelled, the things I wanted to do to you.”</p>
<p>Blood heating in her veins, Eva swallowed around a dry throat, “What kinds of things?”</p>
<p>Horacio’s arm tightened around her, his eyes dropping to her mouth, “That I wanted to kiss you. That I should have thrown you down on that table in front of that idiot manager and fucked you through at least three orgasms.”</p>
<p>Her breath left her in a rush. She worked hard to keep herself calm. He didn’t talk that much about his fantasies, and she was desperate to hear more from him. Eva <em>did not</em> want to interrupt.</p>
<p>She kissed him softly in encouragement, “What else?”</p>
<p>
  <span>Breathing her name, he ran his thumb over her mouth, “I could scent that you were aroused when you sat down. I wanted to lick that sweetness from the source, use my fingers to scoop it out of you. </span>
  <span>I spent hours imaging what it would be like to pull your legs over my shoulders and kiss this pretty pussy.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The fingers of one of his hands had traced up her inner thigh in a lazy caress. He cupped her, massaging very gently. </span>
  <span>She gasped lifting her leg over his hip to open up for him.</span>
</p>
<p>“<span>We’re very lucky you haven’t had a heat cycle yet. Given how I was in my last rut, I’d probably lose my fucking mind.”</span></p>
<p>
  <span>E</span>
  <span>va flinched, feeling guilty.</span>
</p>
<p>“What was that?” he asked, head lifting off the pillow to regard her closely.</p>
<p>She floundered, trying to come up with a suitable lie.</p>
<p>“Eva,” he warned, “What was that?”</p>
<p>Voice small, she said, “I’ve had a heat recently.”</p>
<p>His head cocked to the side, “Before we met?”</p>
<p>She shook her head, “No it was after we met, after we started seeing each other.”</p>
<p>He blinked, “That’s impossible, I would have known.”</p>
<p>Unable to keep eye contact she admitted, “You weren’t there. It was when you were gone for that mission.”</p>
<p>He processed that for several seconds, his eyes narrowing more and more, “Your voice was strange on the phone.”</p>
<p>Eva nodded, “I was on the upswing of it. It got...more interesting over the next few days.”</p>
<p>Horacio’s brows furrowed, “Why didn’t you tell me?”</p>
<p>Eva was torn by the honest, confused expression he was giving her, as if he couldn’t even fathom that she’d hide it from him. Guilty, she offered the only explanation she had.</p>
<p>“You were so excited. You said you thought you had a real chance at ending the whole cartel. How could I take that away from you? Especially since we’d only slept together a handful of times. It would have been selfish to ask you to set that aside for me.”</p>
<p>
  <em>Stop talking, Eva,</em>
  <span> she thought.</span>
</p>
<p>Pushing off with one hand, he rolled her beneath him, resting his weight on his palms. Eva looked up at him silently, trying to gauge his thoughts.</p>
<p>“You’re not going to do that again,” he asserted, the muscles in his jaw ticking, “I will be with you during your next heat, no matter what is going on at the office.”</p>
<p>Lifting a hand, Eva brushed his cheek, his stubble scratching a little. Since they’d come out here, he hadn’t been shaving every day and she found that she liked that he had something more than a five ‘o clock shadow.</p>
<p>“I’m going to need verbal agreement on this, Eva.”</p>
<p>“Okay,” she replied. “I’ll tell you next time.”</p>
<p>“<span>Good.” He dropped to his elbows, resting a little more of his weight on her, “Now, I told you mine. Its your turn to tell me yours.”</span></p>
<p>
  <span>Eva’s face went </span>
  <span>red hot</span>
  <span>, heat soaking every pore. </span>
  <span>Her eyes slid to the side as she contemplated how much information she was going to give him about a heat that she had only a moment ago admitted that she’d had. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>M</span>
  <span>oving in close, his voice a deep rasp, he ordered, “Dime, amorcita. </span>
  <span>How did you get through it?</span>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p>She sucked in a breath, her body curling into him a little bit. When she tried to rise up to kiss him, he used one hand to hold her down to the mattress, his chin canted down.</p>
<p>Eva’s mind flashed back to that day, her body clenching as she remembered the rush of pleasure, the cramps of pain when she couldn’t assuage the need.</p>
<p>“I slept some, woke up coming. My skin was too sensitive. And, at first, I couldn’t figure out why. It wasn’t until I was on the couch,” she stopped, biting her lip.</p>
<p>Her voice was a raspy thing, the words halting. She cleared her throat, squirming beneath his weight.</p>
<p>Horacio ran a soothing hand down her side, “What happened on the couch?”</p>
<p>“<span>I touched myself, I felt like I would die if I didn’t come.”</span></p>
<p>
  <span>Eyes full of fire, he asked, “A</span>
  <span>nd, did</span>
  <span> you make yourself come?”</span>
</p>
<p>She nodded.</p>
<p>“How many times?”</p>
<p>“Twice.”</p>
<p>With both hands, he pushed up her t-shirt to rest just underneath her breasts, “What happened next?”</p>
<p>Eva’s fingers curled into fists beside her hips, “You called.”</p>
<p>His eyes shot to hers, “And you lied to me.”</p>
<p>“No,” she cried, “I just...avoided the subject.”</p>
<p>Horacio’s nostrils flared in annoyance, “But, you’re not going to do that again.”</p>
<p>“N—no.”</p>
<p>He gave on sharp nod in acknowledgment of her submission, “Good. What happened after that?”</p>
<p>His hands followed a twin path over her sides to her hips to her thighs, all the way to her knees. Wrapping his hands around them, he pulled them up and over his body, pulling the cradle of her hips into alignment so that she could feel him hardening against her core.</p>
<p>“I had to crawl to the bedroom,” she continued, the flush of her arousal mixing with the feeling of embarrassment. “I didn’t make it to the bed before I had to come again.”</p>
<p>Kissing her collarbone, he asked, “Did you use your fingers?”</p>
<p>She nodded, gripping his biceps for purchase as he scraped his teeth along her skin.</p>
<p>“Did you use your fingers the whole time?”</p>
<p>Swallowing, Eva shook her head, knowing where this was going and completely unable to stop it. He’d gotten into a line of questioning, and she knew he’d see it through to the end.</p>
<p>“<span>What did you use?”</span></p>
<p>
  <span>S</span>
  <span>he hesitated </span>
  <span>long enough that he stopped nuzzling her skin and looked up at her, waiting for an answer. When she didn’t say anything, he moved up her body, kissing her cheek sweetly, then her forehead, her chin, her jaw, everywhere but where she wanted him.</span>
</p>
<p>“What did you use?” he repeated, his breath fanning over her lips.</p>
<p>Eva struggled to breathe, “I used a toy—to help.”</p>
<p>Thumb rubbing her bottom lip, eyes focused on that sensitized patch of skin, he asked, “A vibrator?”</p>
<p>She shook her head, tongue peeking out to touch the pad of this thumb, “A dildo.”</p>
<p>With a little groan, he kissed her, putting a little pressure on her jaw so that she would open for him. Pulling in a sharp breath, he leaned back, an arm sneaking around her waist to hold her to him.</p>
<p>“Did it help you get what you needed?”</p>
<p>Again, she shook her head, “It helped some, but I was still hurting through most of it.”</p>
<p>His expression hardened just a bit, a barely perceptible glare. Needing to soothe that ire, Eva reached up with both hands and slid her thumbs into the muscle at the base of his skull, kneading. His eyes closed just a little, jaw relaxing.</p>
<p>“Did it,” he cut himself off with a sigh when she ground a knuckle into the tense muscle. He leaned into it, his head tilting to the side, “Did it have a knot?”</p>
<p>“Yes,” she whispered, biting the inside of her cheek when his hips flexed forward, grinding against her.</p>
<p>He kissed her again, a hard press of his lips, “Did you fuck yourself with it, push it inside you?”</p>
<p>Between kisses, she nodded. The memory of the relieving pressure scoring through her, her body arching up into him.</p>
<p>“But it wasn’t enough.”</p>
<p>It was sentence, a declaration, not a question. He knew it, she knew it.</p>
<p>“No,” she warbled, tilting her hips towards him, hands roaming over his strong shoulders and back, pulling him to her to that the wasn’t an inch between them. “I wanted more. Wanted you.”</p>
<p>In a swift motion, he pulled off her t shirt, throwing it over the side of the bed carelessly. His hands found her breasts, pushing them up to his mouth. Long licks, a pinch of skin, teeth scraping. Eva hissed a breath, her body fairly vibrating with pleasure.</p>
<p>“You wanted my knot, didn’t you?” When she didn’t reply, he swatted her thigh lightly, drawing her attention, “Didn’t you?”</p>
<p>Her eyes squeezed shut, head thrown back, she made an ‘uh huh’ sound that cracked on the highest pitch. He was hard against her, his hips rocking in a sharp rhythm that, had he been inside her, would have prodded against her cervix. Sweat beaded on her belly and thighs, pooling in the hollow of her throat. He licked at it, drawing her briefly into his mouth.</p>
<p>“You’d let me do it now, wouldn’t you? Let me knot you in this bed.”</p>
<p>
  <span>The image seared through her, burning away any restraint she might have had—which was, admittedly, not much to begin with. </span>
  <span>Feet on the sheets, she used any leverage she could get to put more friction on her cunt, each roll of her hips more frenzied than the last.</span>
</p>
<p>“<em>Yes, alpha</em><span>.”</span></p>
<p>
  <span>Growling, </span>
  <span>Horacio pushed his face into the bend of her neck, hands slipping underneath her and to her shoulders where he held her steady. Mouth opening, he ran his teeth over the long line from should</span>
  <span>er</span>
  <span> to jaw before settling on the scent gland he’d marked. Though the bruising had healed, Eva could still see the faint scratch across it where his teeth had dug in. He sucked on it hard, sure enough to leave yet another bruise.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eva wailed, a broken, sobbing thing, as she came. </span>
  <span>Nails digging into his back, she bowed up tight. Distantly, she could heard him praising her, his voice rough. He let her rut against him until her body eased down from the orgasm, and then he was pushing his briefs down and grasping himself, roughly stroking.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She took in the sight of him, chin down, breathing hard, working to get off. It stunned her how badly she wanted to memorize this moment, </span>
  <span>and how badly she wanted to seem him come. Both hands caressing downwards, she hooked the fingers of one hand into her panties, pulling them to the side. With two fingers of the other, she slotted them into her folds, opening them up to give him an unobstructed view of how wet he’d made her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>H</span>
  <span>e choked on a gasp, groaning as his fist sped up. It only took a few pumps before he was spilling across her stomach, his head hanging low in relief. When he was spent, he collapsed to his side, trying to catch his breath.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eva giggled, feeling more than a little lightheaded. </span>
  <span>He glanced at her, his mouth spreading wide in a smile. He picked up her hand from where it lay at her side, pressing a kiss to the inside of her wrist and holding it to his chest. She could feel his heart beat beneath his skin, a steadily slowing rhythm.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When he’d calmed a little, he rose and went to the bathroom, bringing a wet cloth to wipe her down. </span>
  <span>Moving around the room, he closed the windows, locking them tight, before doing the same with the door. After turning off the lights, he eased into the bed and gathered her to his chest. Eva held his arm to her body, threading her fingers in his.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Chapter 15</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Eva knew something was wrong. The house was always quiet, save for the sound of the waves below, but this was stagnant. She stood in the kitchen, chopping fruit for a late lunch, the knife sounding dully in her hand. Her stomach twisted as she looked down at the mango, shredded from where she’d lost focus and slid the knife through it too many times. She stared at it, disgusted.</p>
<p>There was no sound, no indication of movement, but Eva knew there was someone behind her. The hair on her arms and over the back of her neck stood on end, her fingers twitching over the blade. For several seconds, she intentionally didn’t turn around. For several seconds, she let herself feel like everything was normal—that this was a completely normal moment in a completely normal day.</p>
<p>And then she turned.</p>
<p>“Hello, Birdie.”</p>
<p>Eva stopped breathing.</p>
<p>Zero was lounging at their dining room table. He was wearing tactical gear, a few days’ growth of a beard on his chin. He’d camped out for a bit before making his approach when he knew Horacio would be out getting the supplies. His skin was pale, nearly translucent, hair a pale blonde. He’d let it grow long over the last few years. It flopped over his forehead in a way that looked more careless than it actually was.</p>
<p>“Hello, Zero.”</p>
<p>His head rolled to the side, “We’re old friends, Birdie. Please, call me Alexei.”</p>
<p>Eva looked past him to the staircase, and over to the door. Zero clocked it.</p>
<p>“The helicopter came in about ten minutes ago. He’ll be another half hour before he makes it up the path. Very resourceful, your Colonel.”</p>
<p>Forcing her body to remain relaxed, Eva acknowledged the compliment with a tip of her head, “I’m happy with him.”</p>
<p>He smiled, straight white teeth, “Anyone with eyes can see how happy you are.”</p>
<p>“Is that why you’re here? Because I’m happy?”</p>
<p>Zero lifted a brow, giving her all the answers she needed. Eva widened her stance, thumb running over the handle of the knife. She wouldn’t be able to take him in a fair fight, wouldn’t be able to take him in an unfair fight, either.</p>
<p>“She couldn’t leave it alone.”</p>
<p>He shrugged, “That is her way, Birdie.”</p>
<p>The way he was looking at her—there was sorrow in his eyes. This was a ploy, a way to get her to lower her guard. She knew this, but wasn’t unaffected by it. So many people had looked at her with pity over the years, but none who knew intimately the things she’d done, the things that had been done to her. Zero had more reason to pity her than anyone she’d ever known.</p>
<p>Eva swallowed, hand tightening on the knife. Then, telegraphing as little as possible, she surged past him towards the staircase. He was too fast, on his feet and catching her arm in the blink of an eye. Eva grunted, turning and swinging the blade. She caught him in the forearm, cutting through his clothes to the meat and turning it.</p>
<p>He yelled, grip loosening enough that she got free. Stumbling, she reached the stairs and stomped up them, hauling herself up by the rail. Eva made it up all the way, rounding the corner and down the hall. She could hear his heavy footfalls following behind and her adrenaline spiked. Ten feet. Five feet. Three feet. She threw herself into the bedroom, was headed for the panic room when he got to her.</p>
<p>She fell to the floor hard, her hip taking the brunt of the blow. He rolled her beneath him, but pushed a little too hard and she got the leverage she needed to pin one thigh down with her knee and an arm down with her elbow. Knife in hand, she brought it up and down hard, wincing when he blocked it with his forearm, blood spurting from the wound she’d made.</p>
<p>Releasing the arm she’d pinned, Eva used both hands and most of her weight to try to drive the knife downwards and into his chest. Centimeter by centimeter, she gained the advantage, until she had maybe two or three inches before she met skin. A sharp pain tingled along her thigh. Eva looked down at the needle just as he pushed in the plunger.</p>
<p>Knowing she was on a timeline, Eva pushed harder, yelling. It did no good. Whatever he’d injected her with was fast, her vision blurred. Before she passed out, she got a good look at his wide, gleeful smile. She wondered if he would, indeed, keep his record at zero.</p>
<p>As she began to lose consciousness, Zero rolled her off him and swung her up and over his shoulder. Her arms hung down, limp, as he carried her. Far away, she heard the main door open and close. Drawing a deep breath, she let out a scream, a weak sound that died in her throat. Against the meat of her thighs, Eva felt Zero laugh.</p>
<p>Waking was terrible. Eva’s head hurt, her body hurt, everything fucking hurt. She was slumped against a wooden pole in the basement, her hands bound behind her. Eva blinked rapidly, trying to clear her vision. A welcome voice said her name once, twice.</p>
<p>Eva lifted her head. Horacio was sitting in a wooden chair that had definitely seen better days, his arms and ankles handcuffed to the legs. There was a bruise blossoming at his temple. A ginger twist of her wrists told her that she was similarly bound. Her legs, however, were free.</p>
<p>“Did he hurt you?” she asked, looking up and to her left.</p>
<p>“I should be asking you that question.”</p>
<p>Eva shook her head, regretting the action immediately, “I’m fine. A little woozy and my head hurts, but he hasn’t started in on me yet.”</p>
<p>Horacio cleared his throat, and she could see his shoulders and arms flexing against his bonds, “You know him, Eva. What is he going to do?”</p>
<p>She thought about it, “Could go a few ways. He could torture you in front of me, he already knows I have feelings for you. Or, we could go that other way, work on me while you watch.”</p>
<p>Eva heard him audibly swallow, heard his feet scuff against the floor. She looked around. Zero had disarmed Horacio, his preferred firearm sitting on a table next to...several syringes. They were laid out carefully. No labels, no indication as to what was inside. Eva glanced at the rest of the room. The wine rack, covered in a light layer of dust sat at the far end, near the washer and dryer. Above her was what used to be a drying line that reached across to another wooden pole about ten feet away, a remnant from before the place was modernized. On the table with Horacio’s gun was another set of handcuffs, possibly for her feet.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry,” she croaked, feeling tears rise up. Guilt rode her heavy, she was sorry that she’d dragged him into her mess.</p>
<p>Horacio shook his head, “I should have taken you to the beach with me. I let my guard down.”</p>
<p>They both had. The stillness of the place, the quiet tranquility of the little home they had borrowed, had lulled them into a soft calm that shouldn’t have been there.</p>
<p>She could see the guilt written clearly on his face, just as it was written on her own, “No. This isn’t your fault. He wouldn’t even be here if it weren’t for me.”</p>
<p>The door to the upstairs swung open and Zero’s heavy footsteps dropped on each stair, an ugly beating drum. Eva sniffed, blinking away the tears and dropping into that place she hadn’t needed to go to for a very long time, the place where nothing could hurt her. It would be the only way she was going to survive whatever he was going to do to her.</p>
<p>Zero was smiling as he approached. He’d wrapped up his arm, the bandage a little pink, but it looked like she hadn’t cut him deep enough to hinder the flex of his hands, “I’m so glad you’re awake. I thought I was going to have to pass the time by removing his fingers.”</p>
<p>Eva held her tongue, but Horacio spoke up, voice terse, rapid fire Spanish flying out like little bullets. She was grateful for what he was trying to do, pull Zero’s attention elsewhere, but she knew the hitman wouldn’t be deterred for long.</p>
<p>Zero laughed, patting Horacio’s face. He responded, likewise, in Spanish. Eva only caught the reference to her and to blood, but she got the gist by the way Horacio paled, his jaw clenching. She had to intervene, and quickly.</p>
<p>“We both know you’re not going to kill me any time soon,” she said, hardening herself, “You’re too arrogant for that. So, why don’t you tell me what the plan is, Alexei. And then I can get on with telling you to go fuck yourself.”</p>
<p>Zero laughed, full bellied, head thrown back. Eva had never known such a joyful looking thing could be so terrible. Her fists clenched behind her as she fought to reign herself in.</p>
<p>Wiping at his eyes, Zero gave her an affectionate look, “I <em>missed you</em><span>.”</span></p>
<p>She sneered, “Wish I could say the feeling was mutual.”</p>
<p>He non-verbally agreed with her, a short tilt of his head to one side. With three steps, he knelt by her, touching her face, “Its a shame your in laws want you dead so much. I would have loved to have taught you the trade.”</p>
<p>The trade. As if it were carpentry, or something equally as innocuous. Eva felt bile rise to the back of her throat as she contemplated being trained and mentored by this man.</p>
<p>Unable to help it, Eva asked the question that had been on her mind since she’d figured out he was after her, “How long since you took the bounty?</p>
<p>His mouth quirked, “About five years. I told them I would need to play the long game.”</p>
<p>She’d been in Nevada at that time, in a vast desert instead of lush forest. Eva nodded, her eyes dropping.</p>
<p>“But, as for my plans,” he sighed, standing, “I thought I would indulge myself, just this once.” He moved over to the syringes, “The family perfected the serum. It will go to market in about two years, once clinical trials are complete.”</p>
<p>Eva’s blood ran cold. She stopped breathing as she stared at the syringe he held up for her inspection. <em>No...</em></p>
<p>“You remember what your heats were like with Joshua, don’t you?” he asked, kindness in his tone, if not in his intentions, “He used to tell me about how he’d leave you tied to the bed for hours, crying to be fucked.”</p>
<p>
  <span>She remembered. </span>
  <span>It was his little game that he played with her cycle-denying her nesting time, denying her fulfilled heats.</span>
  <span> Eva had worked very hard to process and move on from those heats, had thought she’d moved past them. And, now, before he killed her, he was going to do it again. </span>
  <span>She could not contain the horror she felt as she looked at the needle.</span>
</p>
<p>Zero gazed at her, pity in his expression, “I am not Joshua, and I will not leave you in such a way. In fact, my plan, since you want to know, is to knot you in front of the alpha you’ve claimed as yours. I’ll break the bond, I will break you, and then I will kill you both—as a mercy, you see.”</p>
<p>
  <span>Eva very carefully kept her eyes on Zero, though she so wanted to know how Horacio was reacting. She forced her heart to slow and forced her breathing to remain as calm as possible. </span>
  <span>An overtly emotional response would be a mistake.</span>
</p>
<p>“I am on a limited time schedule, Birdie. I think I’ll give you the first dose now.”</p>
<p>As he leaned down, she kicked out hard, trying to dislodge the syringe. He caught her leg and pushed up the material of her shorts, sticking her with it. The movement was fluid, so much ease that it had to be practiced. Practiced, but not gentle. Eva screamed, throwing her head back against the pole behind her.</p>
<p>
  <span>Zero pulled the needle back, capping it, “This’ll start the hormonal reactions. I’ll give you the other two doses in about </span>
  <span>ten minutes</span>
  <span>, okay?”</span>
</p>
<p>It was not okay. It would never be okay. Eva glared at him, fighting hard to keep her tears from overflowing her lids to fall over her cheeks. She was only moderately successful, a single tear escaping the control she exerted.</p>
<p>And then he was turning and heading up the stairs, leaving them to their devices.</p>
<p>“Eva,” Horacio urged, “I’m going to try to break this chair. When I tell you, I need you to scream. Scream loud.”</p>
<p>She looked at the chair, and then at him. He was so strong, she thought he might be able to do it. Nodding, she breathed deep.</p>
<p>“Three, two, one.”</p>
<p>
  <span>Eva yelled, as loud as her throat would go. </span>
  <span>He jerked, rocking on the legs. </span>
</p>
<p>“Again.”</p>
<p>
  <span>More yelling, more struggle. They did this three or four more times, until her voice cracked and she had to stop. He’d made only moderate gains, the legs rocking a little bit under his weight. </span>
  <span>Little by little, he loosened the</span>
  <span>m</span>
  <span>, until they looked like they might detach from the body of the chair. When Eva had just begun to feel hope, the door opened and Zero came sauntering down the stairs.</span>
</p>
<p>He took them in, took in her red face, Horacio’s deadly glare. He looked, and he smiled.</p>
<p>“I see we’re getting along quite well.”</p>
<p>Without preamble, he reached for the second syringe, “But, you, Birdie, you’re not quite where you should be. Far too alert.”</p>
<p>Eva sneered, “Maybe your shit doesn’t work.”</p>
<p>His smile faltered just a hair, “No, I made sure the batch was good. Came across a nice little omega just outside of the border. It works. You have always been unusually stubborn, Eva. I should not have expected any different.”</p>
<p>Taking two steps forward, he knelt, grabbed her leg, warded off the kicks from her other leg, and stuck her.</p>
<p>“Let’s see how that does, hmm?”</p>
<p>Horacio spoke, his voice even, “Does that make you feel like an alpha, Zero? Hurting women?”</p>
<p>
  <span>Zero leveled an amused look at him, “No, it doesn’t. Kill</span>
  <span>ing</span>
  <span> them, yes. But, hurting them, not in the least.” Then, “Do you want to know how I’ll do it?”</span>
</p>
<p>“You’re not going to get that far,” Horacio declared, his eyes narrowed to slits.</p>
<p>Zero ignored him, walking over to the table where he’d set Horacio’s gun, “I’m going to shoot her with your gun. Lucky for Eva, I don’t have time to use my knives, so the gun will have to do. I’ll shoot her, and then I’ll shoot you. So simple.”</p>
<p>Eva’s heart pounded, her skin growing clammy. A telltale cramp pushed its way into her stomach. She nearly vomited.</p>
<p>Zero inhaled lasciviously, “Looks like we’ve got a winner.” Fairly skipping over to Eva, he leaned over her, “How are you feeling?”</p>
<p>She glared up at him, mouth thin, “Like I’m going to kill you.”</p>
<p>He laughed, “You haven’t changed at all, Birdie. But, unlike your late husband, I don’t have the luxury of underestimating you.”</p>
<p><span>Setting the gun back where he’d originally laid it, Zero picked up another syringe and injected her without a word. Eva flinched bodily. </span><span>It wouldn’t be long before she’d start feeling the effects.</span> <span>She’d slow down, fatigue overcoming her, and then her entire world would spin completely out of control.</span></p>
<p>“Now that you’re cooperative, let’s get you into position.”</p>
<p>She tried to fight back, tried to struggle, but he manhandled her, loosening the cuffs and flipping her to her belly before yanking her wrist around the pole and refastening them.</p>
<p>“I’m going upstairs to freshen up. You wait here, I’ll be right back.”</p>
<p>As soon as he was gone, Horacio was talking to her. She could hear the scratch of the chair moving as he told her to hold on, that he would get her free, that he would take care of Zero. She focused on it, fighting to breach the surface of her brain. His scent was sharp in her nose, rising above the scent of the other alpha in the house. Eva shivered, choking back a whine.</p>
<p>Blowing out a breath, Eva felt her mind clear just enough for her to pull her knees underneath her. Inching the cuffs up, she used them as leverage to help her stand, until she was leaning heavily against it, forehead pressed to the wood. Sweat dripped down her neck, but she was otherwise alright. If she could focus, she could work on getting free.</p>
<p>“Fight through it, Eva,” he ordered, and Eva snapped to attention, unable to deny him, even in this state, especially in this state.</p>
<p>Focusing as best she could, she spread her hands over the pole, testing if it was loose, looking for some thing to help her get free. Starting from the bottom of her reach, she worked upwards, feeling...feeling.</p>
<p>The nail. Above her head, maybe six inches, was the nail that had once held the other end of the drying line. A thin thing, half rusted, and sticking out enough that it might work. Eva shuffled around the pole, working to align the cuffs with it. With one ear trained to the door, she did blindly what she had done many times before. Push, tilt, pull. The cuff fell free.</p>
<p>The door opened. She squeaked, ambling around the pole and looping the loose cuff over three fingers, holding so that he wouldn’t initially see that she’d slipped it.</p>
<p>“I honestly can’t believe you’re standing. Really, I’m impressed. You are a treasure, Birdie.”</p>
<p>
  <span>Eva snarled, turning her head to look at him. She could smell Horacio from where he sat—his sweat, his pheromones, everything. Eva had to dig her hand into the rough wood of the pole to keep from </span>
  <span>groaning</span>
  <span>. </span>
  <em>Focus</em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>“Nonetheless, in a few minutes, you’re going to be prime for a knot. It won’t matter whose cock you have in you, you’ll be begging for it.”</p>
<p>Zero approached, hands on his hips, admiring her. Eva turned her head over her shoulder and tried to spit at him. He laughed that stupid laugh that she’d been hearing all along and she hated him for it.</p>
<p>Spinning, Eva let loose of the cuff, swinging it first down and then up, catching him underneath his jaw. Using the butt of her hand, she shoved it home with a satisfying crunch. Then, she braced her hand on his shoulder and yanked as hard as she fucking could, pulling his jaw free from the joint and sideways, dislocating it entirely.</p>
<p>Zero screamed, falling to the floor, blood pooling beneath him. Almost without thinking, Eva grabbed for Horacio’s gun and took aim.</p>
<p>Hesitating for only a moment, Eva took the time to make sure he knew who was killing him, “Goodbye, Alexei.”</p>
<p>One shot. One kill.</p>
<p>The sound of it rang in her ears and Eva found that she had a hard time moving after that. Something in her body had acclimated enough to whatever he’d given her that she was seeing clearly, but it was as if her mind desperately needed a time out.</p>
<p>“Eva, get the keys from his pocket.”</p>
<p>She knelt, eyeing Zero’s cracked open skull as she pulled the keys out and unhooked the cuff still hanging from her wrist. Then, she moved to Horacio—one, two, three, four sets of cuffs opened, and then he was gathering her in his arms in a fierce embrace.</p>
<p>“You did so good,” he cooed, kissing over shoulders and cheeks, his hands keeping her close.</p>
<p>
  <span>Eva’s breath stuttered, and she knew she only had so long before her body couldn’t keep up with the drug in her system. </span>
  <span>She was fighting it hard, though. Everything she knew about the serum was from either fifteen years previous or the little bit of information Zero had given her. She was warm, she was a little aroused, but she had more control over her body than she anticipated. For this, she was grateful. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He leaned away from her, “I need to take care of </span>
  <span>him</span>
  <span>, and then I need to get </span>
  <span>you to a medic</span>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p>Too weak to argue with him, Eva let Horacio lead her upstairs, and then up to the bedroom where he laid her down on the bed. Very deliberately, he opened the panic room.</p>
<p>“If you need to, go in here. It locks from the inside.”</p>
<p>
  <span>And then he was gone, doing God knows what with Zero’s body. </span>
  <span>Eva stared at the ceiling, wrapped in the comfort of their bed. </span>
  <span>She’d left the windows open that morning and the sound of the surf filtered in. A light breeze blew across her skin, sending a shudder down her spine. She swallowed, everything in her body beginning to tingle. She could feel herself getting wet, her fold</span>
  <span>s</span>
  <span> swelling outwards for attention. Rolling to her side, she took deep breaths, moaning when all she could smell was him. </span>
  <span>He was in the sheets, in the pillow she laid on.</span>
</p>
<p>Eva didn’t know how long she lay like that, the arousal climbing steadily higher, her body trying to figure out how to process the chemicals. She pressed her knees together, fingers curling in the sheets. Deep calming breaths evened out as she drifted, falling into almost a meditative state.</p>
<p>
  <span>Hot, sweating, needy, her mind following along a familiar path of fantasy, she could almost feel him kissing the skin of her shoulder, hands slipping under her arms </span>
  <span>to</span>
  <span> hold her to him. A firm grip lifting her leg so that he could slide up and into her until his hips pressed into the curve of her ass. Eva whimpered, knowing that it would feel so good to be split open, that the pressure of his cock would ease this building ache in her body. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He might try to take it slow, as was his won’t in the first few minutes of their lovemaking. She could already hear herself begging for more, harder, faster. </span>
  <span>With her hormones going wild, her body leaking all over him, he might indulge her, pushing her to her stomach and holding her down with one hand between her shoulder blades. He might pump into her as hard as he had the night he’d initiated the bond, until she could feel his knot at her entrance with every thrust. He might grind into her, until he could push it inside with a soft ‘pop’ that locked them together. He might come helplessly inside her, thumb rolling over her clit until she pulsed around him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eva woke with a strangled gasp, nearly a scream. The room was too hot, she was sweating through her clothes. </span>
  <span>Her jaw hurt from clenching, her fingers flexing with difficulty. She was so, so close. On a knife’s edge. Eva cried out, pulling at her hair. This wasn’t like the other heat, unlike anything she’d ever experienced. It </span>
  <em>hurt</em>
  <span> in a way that wasn’t natural. Tears fell over her cheeks and she wiped them away.</span>
</p>
<p>Footsteps sounded up the stairs, a hurried pace. Horacio appeared in the doorway, dwarfing the entrance, his face a mask of concern.</p>
<p>“What happened? Are you alright?”</p>
<p>
  <span>Eva shook her head, reaching out for him. He could soothe this. He could make it better. </span>
  <span>Slowly, he approached, already lifting a hand to grasp at her. </span>
</p>
<p>“Amorcita, tell me you’re alright.”</p>
<p>
  <span>Eva nodded, unable to speak. Just the touch of his skin felt like coming up for air after having sat at the bottom of a pool too long. </span>
  <span>He sat down next to her on the bed, arms coming up to hold her. She pushed as far as she could into his embrace, inhaling as much of her sent as her lungs could hold. It helped enough that </span>
  <span>she felt muscles she hadn’t known were tensed relax.</span>
</p>
<p>He ran a hand through her hair and down her back, “I need to get you to a medic.”</p>
<p>Eva huffed, “Its a mile hike to the road and several hours’ drive. I won’t make it.”</p>
<p>“<span>I can get you there,” he retorted, pulling back to look her in the eye, “I can.”</span></p>
<p>She leaned in and kissed him chastely, “You can’t. I don’t think I can even walk.”</p>
<p>This was the truth. Her legs felt like jelly, the muscles ticking. On his chest, her hands were shaking.</p>
<p>“Its gonna get worse before it gets better,” she murmured, “How long has it been?”</p>
<p>Horacio checked his watch, “About an hour and a half.”</p>
<p>
  <em>An hour and a half.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She blinked. </span>
  <span>Eva should have been writhing by now, begging, the heat overcoming her. Eyes lifting to the ceiling, she thanked whatever deity listening that she’d screwed her hormones up so much in her younger years. It had certainly helped in the long run.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>S</span>
  <span>he cramped, one hand touching her belly, “I’m on the upswing. Usually, I’d say I’ve got about two to four hours until full heat, but I honestly have no fucking clue.”</span>
</p>
<p>Another cramp. This time worse.</p>
<p>“I think its accelerating.”</p>
<p>
  <span>His expression was pained, his eyes flicking over her body, as if trying to figure out how to help. </span>
  <span>His nostrils flared, and she watched as his pupils dilated. Drawn in by the shift in his scent, Eva touched her mouth to his cheek, his jaw, forehead, and lips. His taste, already one of her favorites, was richer with the fluctuation of their hormones. She dipped into him, running her tongue over the inside of his lower lip. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>H</span>
  <span>e groaned, hand at the back of her neck, deepening the kiss. The feeling burned through her, igniting her already unstable nerves, until she was leaning helplessly into him. She pushed her hands into his hair, loosening the hold of his pomade. Against her mouth, he moaned, his hands pushing under her t shirt.</span>
</p>
<p>Too quickly, he pulled away, “Eva, stop.”</p>
<p>She keened, reaching for him again.</p>
<p>“Stop,” he said again, “I can’t do this.”</p>
<p>Eva, breathing hard, asked, “Why?”</p>
<p>He looked as her, incredulous, “You’ve been drugged, Eva. I watched him inject you with—I...you’re drugged. I can’t do this to you while you’re drugged.”</p>
<p>Her mind took a hard left, trying to work out what the fuck he was so worried about. This was a heat, he was her alpha, there shouldn’t even be a discussion.</p>
<p>“Its fine,” she breathed, hands wandering up his arms.</p>
<p>He caught them, holding them down on her thighs, “Its not fine.”</p>
<p>When got up and headed for the door, Eva felt herself give an involuntary yell, her hand reaching after him. Not again. <em>Not. Again.</em></p>
<p>“Please,” she bit out, “Please don’t leave me here alone. Please don’t make me go through this alone.”</p>
<p>Horacio turned and looked at her for a long moment, and she could see the wheels of his mind turning. She waited as patiently as she could, unable to really sit still, her body fairly vibrating with need.</p>
<p>Then, she watched the decision settle over him. His shoulders squared, his jaw set. Taking one step to the side, he leaned down and pulled the chair from the corner a little, angling it so that he had a clear view of the bed. Sitting, he rested his forearms on his knees, eyes darkly expressive.</p>
<p>“I’m going to sit right here. You’re going to stay on the bed. Understand?”</p>
<p>She nodded eagerly, ready to take whatever he was willing to give her. The air in the room electrified with the knowledge that she would not be going through this artificial heat alone. He would be with her, if not directly by her side.</p>
<p>He drew in a deep breath, eyes closing a little as he scented the air, “You do what you need to do, whatever you need. I’ll be right here with you.”</p>
<p>Eva’s cheeks colored, “You want me to—.”</p>
<p>Horacio gave a little affirmative hum, “Just like you did a few weeks ago.”</p>
<p>Her body pulsed, tongue licking along dry lips, “I don’t know…”</p>
<p>He nodded, wrist turning over, fingers extending, “Lay back.”</p>
<p>She did as he asked, trying to get her body to relax against the mattress. He shifted in the chair and she glanced down her body at him. He’d leaned back, arms draped over the armrests, legs spread so that she could see that he wasn’t unaffected by the situation.</p>
<p>Heartened, Eva touched her stomach, feeling it quiver in response to the stimuli. Clumsily, she unsnapped her shorts and pushed them down along with her underwear. They landed with a soft thud on the floor.</p>
<p>
  <span>He drew in a sharp inhale when she spread her legs, letting her hips open naturally. His scent floated over to her—aroused, hungry. </span>
  <span>She let it roll across her tongue as she gingerly pressed four fingers to her mound, massaging gently. Eva was embarrassingly wet, her fingers sliding so easily that there almost wasn’t enough friction. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Control shattering, she lost herself in the momentum, in the motion of circling her clit to get the first orgasm out of the way. </span>
  <span>With her free hand, she pushed in two fingers, then three, trying to get a little pressure going from the inside. </span>
</p>
<p>Panting, Eva’s hips rolled, her back arched, her feet digging into the mattress below—she couldn’t get there. Desperate, she picked up the pace, until her forearms ached with the repeated motion.</p>
<p>A sob left her, and she stopped, hands clenching the sheets, “I can’t.”</p>
<p>“You can,” he drawled from too far away, “You can.”</p>
<p>Head whipping from side to side, Eva called out his name, the fire burning hotter, the pain rising. Tears formed in her eyes as she flung herself over to her belly, face pressed into the sheets. His scent was there, a little faded, but still there. Eva cried into it even as her hips flexed against the bed, seeking relief. The smell of him soothed her mind a little, igniting along her body.</p>
<p>“What do you need?” He asked, sounding just this side of panicked. “Did you bring your toy?”</p>
<p>
  <span>She laughed, amused and frustrated at the same time, “No. I didn’t think I would </span>
  <em>need it</em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p>That earned her an unwilling chuckle, then, “What do you need?”</p>
<p>
  <em>You,</em>
  <span> she thought. </span>
  <em>I need you.</em>
</p>
<p>The rational part of her mind, what little of it that was still functioning, was grateful for his consideration. The animal part of her, the omega in her, wanted to rail at him for not simply taking what was his in the first place. She needed him. She needed him. She needed…</p>
<p>Eva sat up so fast that Horacio flinched, his body pushing back against the chair, “Give me your shirt.”</p>
<p>A fresh scent, something still warm from the heat of him. That might do it.</p>
<p>
  <span>When he hesitated too long, she whipped out a hand, flicking her fingers to indicate that she wanted it </span>
  <em>right now</em>
  <span>, “Your shirt, Horacio.”</span>
</p>
<p>His mouth parted, eyes a little glazed, and then he was reaching behind him to pull the polo over his head. He threw it at her and she caught it. Fuck, but it smelled good. Just like him. Her eyes rolled back as she fell to the bed, rolling over it and rubbing her face against the material. From his perch, Horacio growled lowly, but he didn’t move.</p>
<p>Another roll took her to the head of the bed, cosseted by the pillows. It was then that Eva had an idea that she wouldn’t have dared to execute at any other point in her life. Pulling one of the pillows beneath her spread thighs, she straddled it.</p>
<p>
  <em>...feels too good when you ride me...</em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Holding his shirt to her nose, Eva began to roll her hips against the firm mass beneath her. Her slick soaked into the material, and the sound as she dripped more and more onto it was very nearly obscene. </span>
  <span>She squeezed her thighs, pushing the pillow up and into her, giving her a little extra pressure. Every thrust forward pushed her higher, until she had to brace her hands either side of the pillow, the shirt stretched over the mound.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eva might have said his name, might have said any number of things, but her brain was mostly shut off, leaving only the primal need to come. It rose steadily, helped along by her fingers shoving inside roughly. </span>
  <span>It was the looking back that tipped her over, the looking over her shoulder and seeing him watching her. His eyes were focused on the sway of her hips, his hands clenching the armrests to keep himself </span>
  <span>im</span>
  <span>mobile. Her strong alpha, her beautiful man enduring this in consideration of her needs.</span>
</p>
<p>It hit her hard enough that she yelped, her face scrunching, arms giving out. Eva rubbed her nose in the shirt, gathering as much of him into as she could while her cunt clenched on nothing but her too small fingers.</p>
<p>As soon as the contractions died down, the cramps started again. Exhausted, she rolled to her back, taking the shirt with her. It draped over her body and between her thighs. She took several deep breaths, trying to get her bearings as the need began its rapid ascent to spiral out of control.</p>
<p>Biting her lip, Eva reached down again, fingers tangling in the material. The sensation, the friction of the fabric as it slid across her skin was more than magnificent. It was exactly what she needed. Both hands buried in it, Eva pressed down hard, rocking up into the shirt.</p>
<p>She was soaking it, her juices flowing until they pooled in the hollows of her thighs and beneath her. Everything spun, her body reaching once more for the apex. Eva rubbed faster, using the shirt to gain just the right grind, until she came again moaning his name.</p>
<p>
  <span>Somewhere after orgasm number four, Eva passed out. </span>
  <span>She wasn’t sure for how long, but it was almost dark when she awoke, the evening sun shining with purples and oranges through the bedroom window. Head lolling to the side, she looked at Horacio. He was sitting exactly where he had been when this all began, head resting on one fist, eyes dark and searching.</span>
</p>
<p>She tried to speak, her voice croaking. Clearing her throat, she asked for water. Robotically, he rose and went to the en suite, returning with a cup. She half sat up, leaning heavily against the headboard. Gently, he helped her drink, giving her little sips, his hand cupping the back of her head.</p>
<p>When she had drained the cup, Eva grasped his wrist and gave him a little encouraging pull. Hesitantly, he sat near her, though he was definitely looking for signs of another wave.</p>
<p>“I think its over,” she said. “I feel...I think its over.”</p>
<p>Horacio scanned her face, touching just beneath her chin. Seemingly satisfied, he slipped off his shoes and socks and joined her on the bed, pulling her to lay with her back against his chest. Propped up against the headboard, he held her for a long time, until there was almost no light left in the sky. Oddly, he reached over and turned on the bedside lamp, the warm amber glow filling the room.</p>
<p>
  <span>O</span>
  <span>nce the fog had cleared just a little, Eva lifted up and pulled off her t shirt and bra. They were sweat soaked and chafing her still sensitized skin. She lay back against Horacio with a sigh, earning herself a little strangled groan as he took her in. His hands brushed gently over her, far more gently that he probably wanted to, if the erection digging into the small of her back was anything to go by. </span>
</p>
<p>In her stupor, she’d noticed that he hadn’t moved, that he hadn’t touched himself through the whole ordeal. He was still hard, leaking enough that there was a circle of damp, darkened, fabric to the side of his fly. Her affection for him, already too intense by her own standards, swelled even more.</p>
<p>Head rolling, she kissed his jaw, giving it just the littlest nip. He pulled away, her name a warning that held no bite. Her arms covered his, wrapped around her middle. She skimmed them down to his hands, threading through them. Pressing down, Eva increased the pressure until his palms were flat against her, urging one to knead at her breast, the other to travel down. She felt him inhale, felt his whole body tighten up, knew he was fighting for control. Very slowly, she flexed her fingers over his, curling them into her center, still wet.</p>
<p>Twitching, he pulled his hands back, dropping them to his sides, “Its not over.”</p>
<p>She smiled, letting her head fall back to his shoulder even as she circled her clit very, very slowly, “It is.”</p>
<p>“<span>No,” he countered, though his hips pushed up against her, “You’re still...</span><em>fuck</em><span>, you’re still…”</span></p>
<p>The sentence cut off, his head knocking back against the headboard as he fisted the sheets on either side. Eva, already laying most of her weight on him, pushed a little more into his body, feeling his cock throb.</p>
<p>“<span>Do you want me to stop?” She asked.</span></p>
<p>He paused, his chest heaving, “No, you can keep—just, don’t...don’t touch me. I won’t be able to stop myself if you touch me.”</p>
<p>Eva smiled, biting her lip. Daintily, she lifted each leg and draped it over his thighs, hands already working. He arched over her, eyes dropping down so that he could watch, though he steadfastly did not touch. Knowing that this was going to end fast, Eva let her fingers swirl, whining a little when he spread his knees, stretching her wide.</p>
<p>She would be lying if she said she was only working to get herself off. Her body was so primed for it that it would take next to nothing to come all over again. This, though, this was also for him. She needed to show him how much he meant to her, how much she felt when he was near.</p>
<p>“I wouldn’t have done it,” she murmured, forehead slotting into the bend of his neck.</p>
<p>Hissing, he bit out, “Done what?”</p>
<p>Though he was attempting valiantly to remain still, Horacio was pushing his cock up and into her, a stilted, stuttering motion that she focused on, picking up his rhythm so that he got as much sensation out of every thrust that escaped his iron control.</p>
<p>“Begged for it,” she said. “He said I’d beg for him. I wouldn’t have.”</p>
<p>His eyes closed, and she could tell that he was tamping down the anger that mentioning Zero evoked. She hurried ahead, wanting to give him something he so deeply deserved.</p>
<p>“Yours is the only cock I would have begged for. He could have shot me full of ten syringes, and I’d still only want you to knot me.”</p>
<p>That was it. That’s what did it. Head thrown back, Horacio came on a rough yell, looking almost pained as he thrust against her. His released triggered hers, her first and middle finger circling her clit wildly.</p>
<p>
  <span>It took a long time for their breathing to return to normal. He’d pulled her up a little on his chest, raining kisses down on her </span>
  <span>face, her hair, her neck, everywhere he could reach. Eva laughed, even as he shuffled out from underneath her, helping her to stand so that he could walk her to the bathroom. She sat on the edge of the tub as he filled it, both of them sinking into the water. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She must have fallen asleep, because the next thing she knew, Eva was waking in the middle of the night. The sound of the ocean was coming in through the still open windows, and Horacio was relaxed in sleep beside her. She pushed an errant curl from his face, thinking that her heart would burst with how just how much she felt for this man. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Chapter 16</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>She nested. In piles of pillows and blankets that he’d scrounged from around the house, Eva laid comfortably, passing in and out of sleep. This time, she’d convinced Horacio to lay with her, and it seemed that he’d absorbed the need to rest from her. He’d made sure that the outside world knew what had happened, making a single call to Javier. And then he’d fallen back into the bed, pulling her close.</p><p>Aside from the occasional excursion for food and water, or to take care of any bodily needs, they hadn’t left the nest. Eva had spent countless minutes, looking at his profile or tracing the bend and curve of his body. He let her explore at will, his eyes always half open, a small, satisfied smile on his lips.</p><p>It was in the wee hours of the morning that Eva was currently enjoying this very activity. Horacio was fast asleep, his body relaxed in a way that told her that his rest was deep. He didn’t stir when she turned over and leaned on an elbow, hovering over him. They had talked into the night, and he’d only just succumbed to unconsciousness. Although tired, herself, Eva found that she would much rather be doing exactly what she was doing right now.</p><p>Her mind went over the last week. She’d gone from a threat to her life, to yet another murder, to a synthetic and painful heat that was (thankfully) only a few hours long, to nesting with Horacio. The whiplash of her emotions had finally settled and Eva found that the feelings she’d been working to push down were becoming impossible to ignore. In the quiet and the dark, they bubbled up and overflowed her defenses.</p><p>Hand running a path down the middle of his chest, Eva scratched her nails through the hair below his bellybutton, ruffling it affectionately. On his back, one arm at his side, the other angled around the pillow beneath his head, he looked gorgeous. The pale morning light cast him in blues and grays, catching on the silver just beginning to peek through the hair at his temples. She touched it lightly, winding a finger around a curl.</p><p>Shifting so that she lay more or less atop him, Eva lowered her lips to his, pressing chastely. Fingers tracing from his temple down along his cheek, his jaw, the jut of his chin. She kissed him again, pulling back to watch his eyelashes undulate against his skin. He moved a little, somewhere between sleep and waking. A little huffing breath fanned over her cheek.</p><p>Eva breathed his name, smiling when he gave her a raspy hum in return. She lay her head against his chest, inhaling his scent. Lazily, the arm by his side lifted and her skimmed his thumb over her side. Eva looked up to see him looking at her with hooded eyes.</p><p>“Can you do something for me?” She asked in a soft voice.</p><p>He nodded, blinking slowly.</p><p>Eva gathered knees underneath her, resting a little more of her weight on her palms, “Will you let me lead this time?”</p><p>Seeming to consider it, Horacio gave an eventual nod, his hand dropping to the bed as if to signal his acquiescence. Eva smiled, kissing him lightly. Moving underneath his chin, she laid a kiss there. And then on his Adam’s apple, the hollow of his throat. On the way further downward, she interspersed her kisses with little nibbles, soft scrapes of her teeth. Beneath her lips and hands, his heart beat picked up, an increasing pulse that let her know he was enjoying every second of her attention.</p><p>His skin, rough in the places that needed to be, was soft elsewhere. And, it was in this softness that she found where he was sensitive—a little ticklish. He huffed a laugh when she trailed her fingers over his sides, in the little burrows between his muscles. His hands twitched to grasp at her, but she held them gently back down to the bed.</p><p>Beneath the layers of blankets, he was as naked as she was, and she could feel the evidence of his pleasure growing against her belly. Eva spent a long time, moving between kissing his body and kissing his mouth. Each pass upwards found him more eager, his head arching up to meet her. She took his kiss greedily, sucking on his lower lip, dipping her tongue inside.</p><p>He was so patient—so damned controlled—that Eva felt something stir inside. As grateful as she was that he’d not taken advantage of her not-quite-heat, there was a small part of her that wondered how he’d endured watching her dissolve into a cataclysm of need and remain in that fucking chair. If it had been the other way around—if she had been listening to his voice pleading with her—there was no way that she could have kept herself from going to him.</p><p>Perhaps it was because the heat originated from the serum, not from her normal hormonal fluctuations. Perhaps it was because he knew she wasn’t quite in her right mind. Either way, Eva had something to prove to herself and she was going to do it.</p><p>Decision made, she shimmied down his torso, leaving a wake of sweet kisses that had him sighing. The sound encouraged her, and so it came as a surprise when he grasped her shoulders, halting her progress as she nuzzled his hip.</p><p>“You don’t have to do that,” he asserted lowly, his brows furrowed.</p><p>Eva tilted her head to the side, unwilling to be dissuaded, “I want to.”</p><p>She could feel how much he wanted it, too, and not just in the firm weight of his cock laying against his stomach. His whole body was drawn up tight, working to keep from flexing his hips up towards her. The set of his jaw, though, told her that he was willing to be stubborn about this.</p><p>“Still, its not—,”</p><p>Eva cut him off, “You do this for me all the time. Are you telling me that you don’t enjoy it?”</p><p>Quickly, he was shaking his head, his eyes widening, “No, I mean yes. I—,”</p><p>She laughed, rubbing a soothing hand over his stomach and kissing just to the side of his bellybutton, “What I mean is that this will be as enjoyable for me as it would be for you, if it were the other way around.”</p><p>Looking dubious, his words were small, hesitant, “You’re my omega. I shouldn’t treat you like that.”</p><p>And here they were again, circling around his inhibitions, the things he’d been taught or had learned from one relationship or another. Eva contemplated letting it go, she contemplated calling him on it. What she settled on was completely different.</p><p>With soft, slow motions, she pulled her knees underneath her so that she was more or less sitting on her heels between his legs. He was looking down at her, eyes curious, sparking with interest. Daintily, she pushed the covers down towards the end of the bed so that there was no obstruction to the view for either of them. Lowering her palms to the mattress on either side of his hips, Eva slid her body over the sheets, arching so that her arms, torso, and hips were exposed in one lean line scaling upwards.</p><p>
  <span>She looked up was him from beneath her lashes, waiting. </span>
  <span>He swallowed, but his hands fell back to the bed, a silent </span>
  <span>green light that had Eva smiling even as she ducked down between his thighs. W</span>
  <span>orking</span>
  <span> her way up from his knees, </span>
  <span>she pressed</span>
  <span> little kisses and licks to the sensitive skin. He twitched beneath her when she rolled her tongue along his inner thighs, hands holding him open. </span>
</p><p>Eva kept her exploration of him slow, letting him get used to the soft, sweet touches. She wanted him relaxed and completely unprepared for what she was now considering the second phase of her plan. Deliberately, she avoided the places she knew he wanted her most, just barely skimming by his cock as she mouthed over the crease of his hips, hands tucking under his body and massaging the backs of his thighs.</p><p>When he sighed and settled further into the bed, Eva was reminded of the sounds she often made when he was tending to her needs. A low, happy sound that told her she was on the right track. Nuzzling into the skin below his bellybutton, Eva let him feel her breath, could see where goosebumps rose over his skin. She smiled, pleased. Then, she gave his thighs one last firm stroke upwards from knee to hip, her hands meeting around the heavy weight of his erection.</p><p>He groaned a little, and Eva looked up to see him pulling his bottom lip between his teeth. His eyes looked between her hands, his body, and her mouth. There was an eagerness in the expression that confirmed to her that he had some definite thoughts about this and that they were definitely positive.</p><p>Holding his gaze, Eva opened her mouth to show him her tongue. And then she used that tongue to lick up his shaft in a long, slow, intimate caress. When she reached the tip, Eva changed the angle of her head and pulled the head between her lips, sucking gently.</p><p>He might have said her name, might have moaned, might have checked the movement of his hips upwards. Eva was a little more focused on loosening her jaw and taking him down as far as she could. Her original assessment was fairly correct. She could only take a few inches into her mouth, the thickness of him too wide. It didn’t seem to matter. One look at his face scrunched in pleasure told her that he wasn’t complaining.</p><p>Pulling off him for a moment to take a breath, Eva’s hands stroked what she couldn’t reach with lips and tongue. His breaths were coming faster, sweat gathering in the hollows between the ropes of muscle that covered him. She swirled her tongue over the tip, dipping back down to mouth along his length, working hard not to smile when he sucked in air, eyes closing, chin tilting back.</p><p>For as long as she thought he could handle it, Eva kept a moderate pace, moving between bobbing her head over him, hollowing her cheeks on the upswing and rubbing her lips over him when his moans got a little too loud.</p><p>The consistent barrage of sensation kept him rising steadily towards orgasm, his cock hardening a little more in preparation. Eva sped up her movements, watching as his sack drew up tight to his body.</p><p>Horacio croaked her name, then, “I’m gonna come.”</p><p>Three words that sounded desperate, needy. She didn’t often get to hear that tone in his voice, too consumed by the feelings rocketing through her own body. Eva lifted off him, though she kept her hands exactly where they were, moving over him with firm strokes.</p><p>“No, you’re not.”</p><p>Legs clenching on either side of her, he bit out, “Yes. <em>Yes”</em></p><p>He was very, very close. His feet kicked out a bit, scrambling for purchase against the sheets. His breaths were coming in stilted, staccato huffs, ending with a little whine. Those whines came more frequently, his hands curling into fists. This was when Eva initiated phase two.</p><p>
  <span>Firmly, she encircled the head with her thumb and first two fingers, squeezing just enough to limit the blood flow. He jerked at the sensation, his eyes flying open. She held him there, </span>
  <span>not touching him anywhere else, for about thirty seconds or so. His breathing slowed down, though he remained hard, his heart beat pulsing.</span>
</p><p>When she let him go and began crawling up his body, he shot her a confused, frustrated look. She simply smiled at him and leaned down to touch his cheek, her mouth following not far behind. Horacio turned his head, catching her mouth and drawing her into a deep kiss. It took real effort for Eva to keep her head when he was dragging his tongue along hers, teeth scraping.</p><p>When his hands rose to palm her hips, she pulled back with a gasp, grabbing at his wrists and pushing them into the pillow by his head.</p><p>Fixing him with what she hoped was a stern look, she said, “I’m not done with you yet.”</p><p>His mouth thinned, but she could see the intrigue in his eyes. When his arms went lax beneath her weight, she kissed him quickly and leaned over the bed to pull open the drawer of the nightstand and snag a condom from the pile.</p><p>Eva was delighted to find that he’d brought them along, having forgotten to pack her own in the hurry to get out of her apartment as fast as possible. Horacio wouldn’t be Horcaio if he wasn’t prepared for all contingencies, a fact that continued to benefit her wonderfully.</p><p>
  <span>
    <span>She opened the packet and rolled the condom on. Then, she settled onto her hands and knees, looking over his body as she plotted her next move. There had been no phase three in her plan, no time to really think about where she wanted to go </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>in the few seconds that she’d taken to lay down her design</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>. She only knew that she wanted to drive him out of his mind. To bring him to the brink of rut, and then set him loose upon her. </span>
  </span>
</p><p>Carefully, she lined him up and made the initial push down. As was usual, Eva could only lower herself about a third of the way before she was wincing just a bit. Horacio always made sure he massaged her open before he thrust inside, and the lack of preparation made the burn a bit hotter than she was used to.</p><p>
  <span>He flinched a little, brows furrowing in concern. She shushed him, lifting and lowering again, letting gravity provide the extra assist. And again, until she was fully seated. </span>
  <span>Beneath her, Horacio took a deep breath, his Adam’s apple bobbing. She leaned down and kissed the center of his chest, fingers running soothing circles over his skin.</span>
</p><p>For a while, Eva just sat there, hips giving the tiniest little roll, until he began to squirm. Then, she leaned back and set her hands upon his thighs, letting him see every move she made as she thrust down on him.</p><p>
  <span>Doing her best to mirror her earlier pace, Eva felt her body grow slick and warm, her folds swelling to grip him better. </span>
  <span>She ground down on him, giving herself some much needed friction. </span>
  <span>It didn’t matter that she’d done the lion’s share of the foreplay, her body responded to him as it always did, a warm, wet welcome.</span>
  <span> He rolled his hips up into her, trying to get deeper. Eva’s lips pulled back from her teeth, the feeling spiking the steady rise of her arousal. </span>
</p><p>Shifting her weight forward again, she forced her body to stop moving, her hands pushing down on his hips in warning.</p><p>“Try to stay still,” she murmured, “Can you do that for me?”</p><p>
  <span>Horacio’s mouth dropped open, panting breaths sounding as he tried to think. She was pleased that it took him so long to nod, limbs moving as if to brace himself. </span>
  <span>Eva was half tempted to reward him for his ready agreement, to let him come. But, she had to keep the endgame in mind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>
    <span>Spreading her legs a bit more, Eva let her body sink as far down as it could, </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>his cock nudging against her cervix</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>. She held still for a few moments, watching him watch her, taking in the want in his expression. With the fingers of one hand, she touched herself, wide circles that b</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>r</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>ushed against the root of his cock. Inside, she could feel him </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>contract</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>. From the outside, she watched his eyes take on that deep focus she loved so much. </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>Game on.</span>
  </span>
</p><p>Though Eva very much wanted to begin moving on him with long, deep strokes, she limited herself to small shimmies. It was enough to remind her that he was still pushing the boundaries of her body, splitting her apart from within. She ground down harder on him, eyes closing as her need grew. The wide circles of her fingers tightened down with the internal muscles gripping him harder and harder, until the orgasm blossomed out of her along with a high, keening, moan.</p><p>
  <span>Grunting, Horacio grabbed at her knees hard. His whole body fairly vibrated as he worked desperately to keep as still as possible. </span>
  <span>When the ringing in Eva’s ears died down, she gulped a breath and pulled his hands away, setting them back where she’d put them before.</span>
</p><p>“Grip the pillow, if you need to,” she rasped.</p><p>
  <span>He did as she suggested, body bowing up to get more contact. </span>
  <span>She used one hand to push him back down, the other carding through his hard and pulling gently. He groaned, turning his head to catch a little bit of the skin on her forearm between his teeth.</span>
</p><p>“I’m going to let you do what you need to,” she whispered near his ear, “Very soon. But, I need you to be good until then.”</p><p>
  <span>Eyes closed, he swallowed audibly and nodded. </span>
  <span>Eva decided that the ready acceptance of her request was enough to deserve a little bit of a reward. Slowly, she lifted off him, letting his cock fall to his stomach. He gave a soft sound of disappointment, his eyes searching her face.</span>
</p><p>“<span>I thought you might like to see how wet you’ve made me,” she offered by way of explanation.</span></p><p>
  <span>His eyes shot down to the apex of her thighs, where she was hovering a few inches above him. </span>
  <span>Eva let her body relax and open, until a drop of her slick fell from her lips to land on his stomach just to the side of his erection. </span>
  <span>The muscles of his arms bunched and she glanced up to see that his fingers were digging hard enough into the fabric of the pillow case that she thought he might tear it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He held himself fairly still, though, other than a very slight flex of his stomach upwards and the likely involuntary pulse of his cock. Eva smiled and kissed him, hand cupping his face. </span>
  <span>With a movement that wasn’t as graceful as she’d like, she sank down on him again, reveling in the little gasp of pleasure he made against her mouth. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>W</span>
  <span>ith long, firm rolls of her hips, she rode him the way she knew he liked, little twists of her hips thrown in sporadically. </span>
  <span>He writhed beneath her, his control lapsing as he watched her, eyes wide open and hungry. She kept going until he his eyes rolled back, until she knew he was on the brink of coming. And then, against the burn of her own needs, she lifted off him, rocking forward onto her hands. To assuage the need to keep the connection, Eva kissed him, all teeth and tongue. </span>
</p><p>To his credit, he remained on his back, though his hips lifted off the bed, trying to get a little more friction. She lay down on her side next to him, one leg thrown over his thigh so that she could alleviate the ache left unfulfilled.</p><p>Between kisses, he asked, “Eva, what are you doing?”</p><p>
  <span>She didn’t answer, choosing instead to continue to kiss him, rotating her folds against the hard muscle, hips </span>
  <span>rocking</span>
  <span>. </span>
  <span>Occasionally, she’d brush against his cock, earning herself a low moan. She could feel his heart pound against the hand she had braced on his chest, could tell he was losing the battle with his impulses ever so slowly.</span>
</p><p>Eva let herself come, grinding against him. Then, after catching her breath, she pushed up on shaky limbs and seated herself on him again. He gave a shout that he made every attempt to cut off, unable to stop from pushing up into her until he could get no deeper. Eva held still, letting him come down a little before she started moving again. His arousal rose faster this time, higher, and it wasn’t long before she was stopping, waiting.</p><p>
  <span>Horacio was glaring at her, </span>
  <span>and she knew that she’d earned some serious retribution, but she couldn’t find it in herself to care. </span>
  <span>The need to break him down to the alpha that was tightly leashed in his core overshadowed any thought of what consequences her actions might create. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>I</span>
  <span>t went on like that—her touching him, fucking him, until he got so close to coming that he could probably taste it. And then, as close to the last second as she could manage, she’d stop, or rise up until he slipped out of her. </span>
  <span>Though there were cracks in his control, his body shaking and sweating all over, Eva wanted more from him. She wanted him begging for it. </span>
</p><p>Deciding to try one more thing, she caught his attention, saying, “Can you sit up for me? No touching.”</p><p>
  <span>A long inhale through his nose, a nod, and then he was working his way to sitting, the motion jostling him inside her. </span>
  <span>She groaned, her hands wandering up his stomach to his chest, to his shoulders. The light of the morning had crept in, setting his body aglow with sun. </span>
  <span>Eva wasn’t sure how long she’d been teasing him, but placed her guess at a few hours.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>H</span>
  <span>is eyes had lost a little bit of that focus, his mouth wet and swollen from her kiss. He swayed a little bit, leaning into her touch. She almost had him where she needed him. Just another little push.</span>
</p><p>“<span>You’re doing so good,” she praised, rubbing her cheek against the stubble along his jaw, “I can’t believe how good you’re doing.”</span></p><p>
  <span>Beneath her, his body shuddered, </span>
  <span>hips lifting a fraction. </span>
  <span>He was drawing in deep, calming breaths, trying to gain some steadiness. That wouldn’t do.</span>
</p><p>Eva kissed him, saying against his mouth, “I knew you would be. I knew the second I saw you that the sex would be good between us. Do you know what I didn’t know?”</p><p>He shook his head, taking the kisses she offered in between words.</p><p>“<span>I didn’t know how perfect you be inside me,” she groaned, “When I first felt you I thought you’d never fit, but look at how good you fill me up.”</span></p><p>
  <span>Putting pressure on his chin, Eva tilted his head down as she rose above him, letting him watch as she dropped slowly along his length until she’d reached the hilt. </span>
  <span>His breath was ragged, muscles trembling. Sweat dripped down his temple and over his cheek. Eva caught the drop with her tongue, moving to kiss him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>R</span>
  <span>olling against his body, she licked her lips, trying to get the words out coherently as her core began to </span>
  <span>tighten</span>
  <span>, “If I had known how good you were going to treat me, how many times you would make me come, I would have let you take that first rut out on me. Let you fuck me until I screamed.”</span>
</p><p><span>His hand slammed down on the mattress, eyes squeezing shut as he visibly battled for control. </span><span>The sound that came out of his chest was near feral, his teeth bared. </span><span>That was enough for her.</span> <span>Eva didn’t have the capacity to revel in the near victory, her body crying out for her to end this, and soon.</span></p><p>“<span>I’m going to let you go in a minute,” </span><span>she told him, </span><span>words soft and sweet</span><span>.</span></p><p>
  <span>Eyes wild, he looked at her, trying to discern her meanin</span>
  <span>g. Eva had been holding him back for so long that he probably thought she’d keep going forever.</span>
</p><p>She shushed him, “I’m going to let you touch me. But, I need you to promise me something first.”</p><p>
  <span>He breathed his assent before she finished the sentence, anticipation slithering over every limb, every patch of skin. </span>
  <span>His fingers drummed on the sheets, legs pulling up behind her. Eva pushed both hands into his hair, massaging at his scalp.</span>
</p><p>“I’ve been using you for my pleasure for so long. You’re going to do the same to me. Whatever you want, for as long as you want, as hard as you want. Understand?”</p><p>
  <span>There was that hesitation again. Eva’s eyes narrowed and she reached for a last resort. Leaning over, she set her teeth against the swollen gland behind his ear, and bit down. He yelled, his hip</span>
  <span>s</span>
  <span> lifting her bodily from the bed, his head thrown back.</span>
</p><p>Eva grabbed his jaw and forced him to look at her, “Okay?”</p><p>He nodded, a fast, eager thing.</p><p>She let her arms drape around his shoulders, steadying herself against the onslaught she knew was coming, “You can touch me.”</p><p>A man his size should not be able to move that fast, but Horacio had her flipped over in the blink of an eye. He used the momentum to push her to her belly, hoisting her hips up one hand, the other catching her wrists and holding them at the small of her back. He then leaned a little weight into her shoulder until her forehead was pressed into the mattress.</p><p>
  <span>In the next second, he was pushing inside her and setting a brutal pace. </span>
  <span>He slammed into her hard, each thrust faster than the last, little involuntary sounds of aggression rumbling in his chest. </span>
  <span>His palm ran down the length of her spine, moving to hold her hips. He </span>
  <span>yanked </span>
  <span>her towards him at that breakneck pace. </span>
</p><p>Eva felt the air rush out of her and had a hard time drawing it back in. Every time she tried to draw a deep breath, he fucked it right back out of her. Face in the sheets, she let herself fall into the rhythm, let him take out every ounce of frustration on her.</p><p>
  <span>A</span>
  <span>t that pace, it wasn’t long before he was giving a long groan, pulsing inside her body. His hands squeezed her wrists and hip, fingers digging in hard. </span>
  <span>As his body slowed, he seemed to come back to himself. He let go of her, pulling out and letting her fall to the her side.</span>
</p><p>The muscles of Eva’s shoulders burned with how tight he’d held her arms behind her. She had to slowly ease them forward, letting the strained limbs come back to their natural position. Eyes closed, she heard him moving, but couldn’t really be bothered to pay attention. She was tired and the sweat from her body was drying fast, leaving her shivering slightly.</p><p>
  <span>Warm hands ran over her skin, eliciting more shivers. He rubbed along her wrists, pressed his thumb into the muscles beneath and around both shoulders. She let him, limbs falling wherever he left them. </span>
  <span>Seemingly satisfied, he laid near her, pushing the hair from her face and kissing her forehead.</span>
</p><p>“Eva?”</p><p>“Hmmm?”</p><p>“Thank you.”</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Chapter 17</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They punished him when he got back. He’d been gone for almost two weeks—twelve days—and they took it out on him the second he returned. His work hours lengthened until he was leaving before the sun came up and coming home after midnight. Sometimes he’d key into her apartment, falling into bed next to her with his uniform still on, boots kicked off next to the door.</p>
<p>Eva kept food wrapped in plastic in the fridge for him, pulled his belt free from the loops and at least got his button up off when he was too tired to do it for himself. When she did see him, on the occasions he set foot in the embassy, there were dark circles under his eyes.</p>
<p>Still, he didn’t complain. Not one word. Eva’s own workload had grown, having to pick up all the things that had been sitting on her desk. But, Javier and Steve had taken it upon themselves to do a little when they could. Connie would sometimes bring her lunch and they would chat, Eva having to forgo their usual work out nights until she got caught up.</p>
<p>And still, he seemed to just...take it from them. This went on for almost a month before she said anything. The conversation had been short, brusque in a way that he normally wasn’t, the stress peeking out from behind strained eyes. She didn’t say anything after that.</p>
<p>Eva gave him comfort where she could. She set the coffee maker to an earlier time and made sure that he had a travel mug sitting beside it every morning. She washed the uniforms he sometimes left behind, even going so far as to iron his undershirt and fold it neatly atop the pile on the dresser. This was about the extent of her ability to help and it ate at her.</p>
<p>After the first month, he got a day off and spent most of it asleep, or close to it. He’d crawled in next to her after showering, pulling her into his chest before dropping off into unconsciousness. When she’d woken the next day, he was still asleep. When she checked in with him mid-morning, he was snoring softly, one arm reaching across the bed to the place where she’d been.</p>
<p>Finally, when lunchtime slipped by, Eva roused him and forced him to come out and eat a little. He did so mechanically, his eyes unfocused. She maneuvered him to lay on the couch after that, pulling all the curtains in her living room closed, the TV at a low volume.</p>
<p>They spent most of the day like this, vegetating on the couch. And then, when the evening came, Eva put more food in him and sent him to bed early while she worked on a few files she’d brought home from the office. The next morning, he’d gone in early, as he had to the month previous, and she didn’t see him for three days.</p>
<p>This went on for another month before the higher ups started to let off. By that time, he’d been worked nearly to the ground and she could see the beginning of burn out start to set in. Eva encouraged him to rest on the days he had off, doing what she could to bring back the determined set of his jaw when he went about his work.</p>
<p>And, when he seemed to come back to his normal self, she set up a dinner at a nice restaurant with Connie and Steve. They worked in tandem to keep the conversation from flowing back into office talk, but weren’t entirely successful.</p>
<p>“I got those photos developed,” Steve said a little too casually. “I have ‘em if you want to take a look.”</p>
<p>Connie took a disdainful sip of her wine, “I told him not to bring them, but he insisted.”</p>
<p>Eva looked at Horacio, who was carefully gauging her reaction. With a shrug, she reached over the table and flicked her fingers at him, indicating that he should hand them over. He leaned down and pulled a manila folder from where he’d stashed it under his chair. Eva took it from him, opening it and pulling out the photos.</p>
<p>She felt her jaw lock with the effort it took to control her face. The first photo was of her, standing in the airport, looking lost. She flipped to the next: moving in. Then, her walking from the parking lot into the embassy, her sitting at a park after her first day staring into the middle distance, and her talking with Javier as they walked on a sidewalk—a conversation she’d forgotten about. That’s when things started to get interesting.</p>
<p>The next photo pictured her standing next to her car down the street from that little hotel, Horacio leaning over her. His expression looked frustrated. She was smiling. Next, the two of them in a similar position after the bar fight, mid motion as he’d pushed her against her car. Then, her and Connie laughing outside of the gym, sweaty and glowing in the streetlights.</p>
<p>After that came the moment outside of the bombed restaurant, smoke everywhere, Horacio hovering over her. Out of context, it was a stunningly captured image. They looked utterly alone, his concern for her written all over his face. She was holding him by his forearm, chin tilted up a bit, her hair falling in haphazard curls, haloed around her.</p>
<p>Eva stared at it a moment longer before she flipped to the next one. More of her and Connie, sitting on a low wall, eating. Her arguing with Javier on the steps of the church. Her and Horacio sitting on that bench across the street, his hand trailing down her arm, eyes wandering to the hem of her skirt. Another of him kissing her at her door after dropping her off from one of their early dates.</p>
<p>And then she was standing in the street, staring her ex mother in law down. A little out of focus behind her, Horacio was standing by the table with his arms crossed. Eva stared at the picture for a moment longer than the rest, feeling her lip curl. That woman was still living, and possibly already figured out that Zero had been unsuccessful—possibly was already contacting another contractor to finish the job. That would need to be dealt with eventually.</p>
<p>The final photo was taken a few days before she’d been called to examine Zero’s final warning. She was walking hand in hand with Horacio, they were in a busy farmer’s market, picking out a few things to cook up for dinner. Eva was looking up at him as he talked with a vendor, her eyes so full of emotion that she felt herself blush even looking at it. She looked like a woman in love, a thing that Eva had never thought would be something she would have.</p>
<p>Very carefully, Eva slipped the photos back into the folder and set it aside, “Thank you for doing that.”</p>
<p>Steve nodded, his eyes dropping to the glass in his hand, “At least its over now.”</p>
<p>She sighed, “Yeah, I guess so.”</p>
<p>The ride back to Horacio’s house was quiet. Eva glanced at him periodically, could tell that he was deep in thought. She clutched the folder of photos in her lap, unsettled. It wasn’t until she was taking her make up off in the mirror of the bathroom that he finally broached the subject he’d been contemplating all night.</p>
<p>Standing in the doorway, leaning against the jamb, he watched her wash her face, “We do need to address it.”</p>
<p>Eva looked at him in the mirror as she turned off the water, “Address what?”</p>
<p>“The fact that there is likely another hitman already contracted to kill you,” he said matter of factly.</p>
<p>Eva drew in a breath, glad that he hadn’t taken too awful long to decide to have this conversation. She didn’t know how fast Myra would move, but the woman was not known for her patience, or her mercy. It was extremely likely that they had contacted a new guy to finish the job.</p>
<p>She wiped her face off with a towel, “I know. I’ll think of something sooner or later.”</p>
<p>His mouth thinned, eyes narrow, “How can you be so calm?”</p>
<p>Setting the towel on the counter, Eva stepped up to him, placing her hands on his chest, “I have spent almost my entire life with people doing things to me that are completely out of my control. Maybe I’m used to it.”</p>
<p>Walking him back, she sat him down on the bed and kissed his brow. Turning, she reached behind her and tugged down the zipper of her dress, pulling it off while she searched for a sleep shirt to wear.</p>
<p>“This is serious, Eva. Your life is in danger.”</p>
<p>She laughed as she unclasped her bra and threw on the shirt. He very likely did not know how much of a hypocrite he was being in that moment.</p>
<p>“What?” he asked, his tone sharp.</p>
<p>Eva fixed him with a sardonic look, “I’m not the only person in this room with a bounty on their head, Horacio.”</p>
<p>His eyes looked away, “That’s different.”</p>
<p>“How?” she exclaimed, incredulous.</p>
<p>“I’m a police officer working to dissemble a cartel.”</p>
<p>He stood, hands on his hips, mouth curling. Eva felt her inside harden up, unbowed by his fierce look.</p>
<p>“And I’m a felon and former drug trafficker. I can’t escape this, I cannot walk away from it. You have a choice.”</p>
<p>He was already shaking his head, “I don’t.”</p>
<p>Eva stepped up to him, taking his hands, “You do. You can walk away. Retire. Spend some time at the cabin by the ocean. Fucking relax in public places. All of these things you can do. You just have to make the choice to do them.”</p>
<p>For the first time since she’d met him, Horacio looked unsteady. He was looking her with so many conflicting emotions that Eva couldn’t quite parse them out. Sensing that this might be the time to have the other conversation that she’d been keeping to herself for the last few weeks, she soldiered on.</p>
<p>“This job is going to kill you,” she whispered, voice low and rough, “I can’t stand to watch that happen.”</p>
<p>His mouth parted, “We have guards, protocols-,”</p>
<p>She cut him off, “That’s not what I’m talking about. Have you seen yourself these last few months? Did you see what I saw? They’re going to drive you into the ground.”</p>
<p>Horacio blinked, “Its difficult for everyone.”</p>
<p>“No,” she bit out, her hands tightening on his, “You’ve had maybe three days off since we got back. You’ve hardly slept, you’re not eating regularly, you’re so stressed I can literally smell it coming off you.”</p>
<p>Gently, she thumbed the skin beneath his scent gland. His eyes drooped a little, jaw loosening from where he’d been holding it so tightly. Settling into his body, Eva held him to her, trying to convey her worry, her concern for him.</p>
<p>“You want me to walk away from my career? Everything I’ve worked to build?” His voice was on the edge of anger, and Eva fought the urge to back up, to relent to him.</p>
<p>“I want the same thing that I think you want for me,” she murmured, “I want you to live. <em>Really live</em><span>. You can’t do that if you don’t make some changes. </span><span>Take that one foot out of the darkness.</span><span>”</span></p>
<p>He sighed deeply, dropping his head into the crook of her neck and embracing her, “Its late. We’re both tired. Let’s table this for now.”</p>
<p>Afraid that she’d push him too far if she pressed on, Eva nodded and stepped away to crawl onto the bed. She watched him undress and climb in next to her. After turning off the lamp on the nightstand, he settled into the pillows, taking her hand and kissing it. She drifted off with that solid connection between them.</p>
<p>The next few days were dusted with sporadic conversations about an intangible future. The end of Eva’s contract loomed, now four weeks away. She went to work every day, knowing that it was one less day she would be required to be there. And then something weird happened.</p>
<p>
  <span>She’d been pulled into a meeting. She’d been censured for continuing to perform field work, outside of the scope of her contract. And then they’d told her that they were cutting it short and to clean out her desk. </span>
  <span>She’d have two weeks to get her personal items out of the apartment rented for her by the department. </span>
  <span>Eva couldn’t help the little sneer on her face as she watched Vanessa happily deliver the news. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She couldn’t keep her desk past the end of the day, had been given a box to put her belongings in. </span>
  <span>Eva had done so mechanically, putting the box of little personal items into her car and returning for her purse, still sitting on that shitty desk Steve had pointed out to her all those months ago. </span>
  <span>On the way out, she stood under an awning, looking out to the parking lot, confused and feeling just a tiny bit...sad.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A </span>
  <span>boot scuffed behind her and Eva looked over her shoulder to see Javier standing not far away, his fingers drumming on his leg.</span>
</p>
<p>“I guess you heard,” she said, a small smile on her lips.</p>
<p>Javier nodded, reaching up to pluck the cigarette from behind his ear, his other hand already holding a lighter.</p>
<p>“Its strange,” Eva continued on, “I think I’m actually going to miss it.”</p>
<p>
  <span>He nodded again, not speaking. </span>
  <span>Eva frowned, gesturing at him as if to say ‘what’s the deal?’</span>
</p>
<p>Javier took a drag off the stick in his hand, “Let’s go to lunch.”</p>
<p>Without further explanation, he grabbed her by the elbow and started walking with her. His stride was quick, firm, determined. His expression was closed. Eva felt her stomach drop with anxiety as she followed along.</p>
<p>“Okay,” Eva drawled in a false attempt at bravado, hustling to keep up with him in her heels, “What is this about?”</p>
<p>“Not here,” he murmured, steering her to his car.</p>
<p>It wasn’t until they were both ensconced in their seats and the engine had turned over that he said anything.</p>
<p>“We’re gonna meet Carrillo at a little out of the way dive just outside the city. I’ve been digging into your contract for a couple weeks and wanted to tell you both.”</p>
<p>Interesting.</p>
<p>Eva’s brows lifted, “What did you find?”</p>
<p>“Let’s wait until we get to the place, I’ll tell you everything then.”</p>
<p>They did, indeed, drive just outside of the city to a little hole in the wall place with what looked like only one waiter. At Javier’s direction, he led them to the back of the main room, through the kitchen, down a hall, and into a basement. Eva stood at the top of the steps, feeling just a little bit like she was walking into a trap. She looked at Javier’s back as he descended, looked at the waiter, then sighed and stepped down.</p>
<p>
  <span>I</span>
  <span>t smelled a little bit musty, and there was only a single light hanging from the ceiling. But, a table had been set up with a few chairs. It even had a tablecloth.</span>
</p>
<p>“Well,” she commented, because she needed to talk or she was going to start freaking out, “This is certainly the strangest going away lunch I’ve ever had.”</p>
<p>Javier rolled his eyes and sat heavily in one of the chairs, “Have a seat. They’ll bring us some coffee.”</p>
<p>Eva sat, looping her purse strap over the top of the chair, “Is Horacio on his way?”</p>
<p>He nodded, “Should be here any minute.”</p>
<p>She stared him down, looking for clues as to what this was all about. He hadn’t brought a file, he didn’t even have that little notebook he sometimes carried with him. All he had was his wallet (currently wearing through the fabric of his jeans), his gun (tucked in the back of his waistband), his cigarettes (slipped into the breast pocket of his short-sleeved button up), and his lighter (twirling between the forefinger and thumb of his right hand).</p>
<p>
  <span>The door at the stairs opened and Carrillo’s heavy steps sounded, </span>
  <span>a slow, measured thump. Eva folded her hands in her lap and waited until he ducked down to scan the room. He was wearing his uniform, gun at his hip, the first few buttons of his shirt undone so that a little of his undershirt peeked out.</span>
</p>
<p>“Sorry I’m late,” he said as he approached and sat down, “Had to make a few calls.”</p>
<p>“Not a problem,” Javier responded, “I almost didn’t catch Eva before she headed out.”</p>
<p>Eva scratched at the skin above her brow, “Does anyone want to tell me what this is about?”</p>
<p>Javier leaned back in his chair, folding his arms, “I did a little research on you.”</p>
<p>“This again?” Eva bit out, feeling a hot anger bubbled up from where is had laid simmering since she’d walked out of that meeting.</p>
<p>
  <span>Hand up, he indicated for her to wait, “More than just your work history. More than your prison stint. I know a guy who knows a guy, who pulled your file—your </span>
  <em>actual</em>
  <span> file. I got a copy of your contract, and I managed to dig up some interoffice mail between Vanessa and some shady people.”</span>
</p>
<p>“Okay?”</p>
<p>He leaned forward on his forearms, “There’s a few expense forms that were incomplete, but paid out anyways. Expense forms for plane tickets for, Vladimir Prost—a known alias of Alexei Volkov, according to an FBI friend of mine—w ith a hotel voucher for the same name.”</p>
<p>Eva’s eyes narrowed, her brain circling around the information and coming out on the other side feeling her anxiety spike.</p>
<p>To her left, Carrillo added, “I went to the hotel, pulled a few of their records. He stayed there for months, Eva.”</p>
<p>She crossed her legs, trying to keep her body more still, “I told you that he had, the pictures proved that he had. The question is why Vanessa, why the DEA, was footing the bill.”</p>
<p>Javier shook his head, “That’s the thing, they weren’t. The forms weren’t standard DEA—very close, but not quite the same.”</p>
<p>She blinked, “You’re saying they were doctored.”</p>
<p>“I’m saying they were doctored,” Javier confirmed with a sharp nod.</p>
<p>Carrillo looked at her solemnly, “I paid off a few administrators where she banks, tracked her bank statements and accounts for the last two years and cross referenced them with the forms Javier found. There are several large deposits close to the dates on the forms from a company our of Louisiana, Ardent Pharmaceuticals. That name familiar to you?”</p>
<p>Eva could feel the blood drain from her face, “That’s the company name for the Moore family’s business front.”</p>
<p>“Well,” Javier commented with a little shrug, “They’ve gone straight with a lot of their stuff. They’re a leader in the field of suppressant therapy.”</p>
<p>“I’m sure they are,” Eva sneered, eyes cutting to the side as she thought about those three syringes gleaming on that table.</p>
<p>“<span>Eva,” Carrillo prompted lowly, “Do you understand what we’re telling you?”</span></p>
<p>She looked at him, “That my early release, my contract, all the work I’ve done, the shitty boss I’ve had, and my entire professional career is a big set up to keep me contained and under the thumb of my former mother in law so that she can eventually corral me into a corner and murder me? That sound close enough?”</p>
<p>“I know you’re mad,” Javier said, catching her eye, “But we’ve got to think smart about this.”</p>
<p>“<span>Smart?” Eva hissed, her voice high, “</span><span>You’re tell</span><span>ing</span><span> me to be smart? Everything I’ve done under this contract is a lie and you’re telling me to be smart?”</span></p>
<p>He made a soft sound of comfort, “You can be mad about that—hell, I’m mad about it—but, you can’t react from that anger.”</p>
<p>“How am I supposed to react?”</p>
<p>“With cunning,” Carrillo answered, and she could tell that he’d already made a plan. “I looked at the contract, the end date is set in stone. Did you get a formal letter of release?”</p>
<p>Eva nodded, reaching into her purse and handing it to him. He read it over quickly before handing it to Javier.</p>
<p>“Good,” he said, “That saves you from the DEA asserting that you broke the contract. Now, I’ve still got a hand in Vanessa’s accounts. For the near future, that’s going to be our best bet for tracking when the next hit will come.”</p>
<p>Javier handed the release letter back to Eva, “I also made a call to one of my contacts at the IRS. He’s going to call for an audit of the Ardent books, which should tie up some of their funding for the next few months, at least.”</p>
<p>Eva shook her head, “If they’re still using my system, then they won’t find anything. All their off the books transactions are buried under layer after layer of red tape and false company names.”</p>
<p>Javier leaned forward, “Can you lay out that system for me? So I can send it to them?”</p>
<p>She nodded, “I can do that.”</p>
<p>“Okay, that’ll work. I’ll fax that over to him and that might help speed things along. Eva?”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” she croaked.</p>
<p>“We need you to go about your life as usual. Go pack up your apartment, buy a ticket back to the states, do whatever you think will need to be done so that no one knows you’re onto them.”</p>
<p>Her brows drew together, “You want me to go back to the states?”</p>
<p>Carrillo put a hand on her arm, “We want it to look like you’re going back. We need to buy some time, until we hear back from our contacts.”</p>
<p>
  <span>Staring into the middle distance, Eva processed the conversation, running over the information a second time and coming out just as angry, if not more so. </span>
  <span>She was quiet so long that the two men at the table began to fidget.</span>
</p>
<p>“Eva?” Javier edged.</p>
<p>She swallowed, then sighed, “Are we actually going to eat at this ‘lunch’? I’ve only had coffee today and I’m starving.”</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Chapter 18</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Eva was laying in bed at Horacio’s house, reading a novel she’d picked up at the corner store, switching between it and the English to Spanish dictionary as she tried to translate. Though her skills had definitely improved, she still found herself flipping through the pages of the dictionary in frustration as she came across and entire sentence that she couldn’t quite understand. It was slow going, but without having to go into the office every day, Eva had the time.</p>
<p>The door opened and shut loudly, startling her. Quietly, she set her book aside and slid off the bed, padding as softly as she could through the bedroom door and down the hall. Keeping herself against the wall, she peered around the corner. At this point, she couldn’t be too careful.</p>
<p>Horacio was leaning against the counter next to the refrigerator, an ice pack on his hand. Concerned, Eva rounded the corner, hands already coming up to pull his hand to her chest. She lifted the pack, hissing when she saw that it was bruised, cut in a few places.</p>
<p>“What the fuck happened?”</p>
<p>He closed his eyes for a moment, as if he really didn’t want to get into it. Eva tugged just a bit on his arm, lifting her brows. She expected him to answer her.</p>
<p>“We found a man who Vanessa had been paying off to keep tabs on your whereabouts outside of work,” he explained in a moderate tone, “He didn’t want to talk. We worked on him a bit. When he did talk, we knew we had to run a little recon on your apartment. There was a guy waiting for you inside.”</p>
<p>Eva stared for several seconds, then her eyes dropped down to the hand she was holding, “Was he…?”</p>
<p>“Yes.”</p>
<p>“Did you…?”</p>
<p>“Yes.”</p>
<p>She felt the air go out of her, “That’s good.”</p>
<p>“That’s not good, Eva,” he countered, tapping his first finger under her chin to get her to look at him, “It means that we were right. There are more coming.”</p>
<p>For the first time in a really long while, Eva hated being right.</p>
<p>She thought about it for a minute, “Did Vanessa pay him out?”</p>
<p>He shrugged, “I’m waiting for a call to confirm.”</p>
<p>More waiting. All she had been doing since she got let go was wait. It was for the best, but Eva chafed at the inaction.</p>
<p>“What happens if we have confirmation?”</p>
<p>“I give the information to Javi and let him add it to our file, which is growing by the moment.”</p>
<p>Needing a change in subject, Eva lifted the ice pack, gauging the damage, “Does it hurt?”</p>
<p>He lifted one shoulder, “A little.”</p>
<p>Mouth curling into a smile, she asked, “Was this the guy who wouldn’t talk, or the guy who wanted to kill me?”</p>
<p>There was a beat of silence, then, “The guy who wanted to kill you.”</p>
<p>That was more telling than him taking on this mission to track down an endless line of people who were under Myra’s thumb. Eva lifted his hand and tenderly kissed one of the bruised knuckles.</p>
<p>“I’m a little sad that I didn’t get to watch,” she admitted, lifting her eyes back to his face.</p>
<p>His brows drew together, “Its not a pretty sight.”</p>
<p>“Big Guy, you uppercut a guy unconscious before we even started dating,” Eva drawled, pulling him from the counter and leading him to the couch where she sat him down and crawled into his lap. “I can definitively say that violence isn’t going to scare me.”</p>
<p>Casting her a strange look, Horacio wrapped an arm around her middle and pulled her in to rest against his chest. He pushed her hair over her shoulder, nosing over her skin and inhaling. Eva sighed, little tingles of awareness coursing over her body everywhere they made contact. He’d beaten a man, and then killed another, tonight—all in an effort to keep her alive. It stunned her how casually he talked about it. It stunned her more how proud she was that he was willing to go so far for her sake.</p>
<p>Holding his jaw with both hands, Eva ran her thumbs over his cheekbones, her expression soft. Shifting forward, she peppered his face with little kisses, her heart warming at his bemused chuckle. She kept going, laughing when he tried to pull back, only to be stopped by the couch cushion. Eva pressed her advantage, kissing everywhere she could reach, laughing even more as his face scrunched despite the dimple revealing smile stretched wide over his lips.</p>
<p>He gripped her underneath her chin, tilting her head down so that he could give her a proper kiss, a chaste press of his mouth to hers. Then another, longer kiss, his tongue darting out to swipe over her lower lip. Eva gripped his biceps for balance and took a third kiss, deeper and harder than the last. It felt like no time at all before they were making out on the couch like teenagers, the ice pack thrown on to the carpet with a wet plop.</p>
<p>His arms held her tight, one hand drifting up and under her sleep shirt to knead her breast, thumb circling over the nipple. Eva could hear the desperation in her own moan, even as it rolled out of her throat. He mouthed down her neck to her collarbone, teeth nipping at the sensitive skin.</p>
<p>The phone rang and Eva jumped. Horacio pulled back, kissing her soundly on the mouth before leaning over and picking the receiver out of the cradle, holding it to his ear. He continued to hold her as he spoke, a muted voice responding over the line. His fingers drifted lazily over the naked skin of her thigh, circling.</p>
<p>Eva widened her stance, letting more of her weight rest on his hips, on the growing erection in his forest green slacks. Holding his gaze, she gave him the smallest circling movement, just a little bit of friction to stimulate the both of them. The hand on her thigh tightened just a fraction in warning, but his eyes were warm and aroused. Green. Light.</p>
<p>Running her hands over his chest, she rocked forward and up, using the motion to lay a kiss on his cheek, far more innocent that the kisses she was giving him not a minute before. She could feel his breath on her neck and shoulder, faster than normal. His voice was entirely too calm when he spoke next. That needed work.</p>
<p>Adjusting her stance, Eva dropped one foot, then the other to the ground and let her body slide down his until she was kneeling on the floor between his legs. He watched her go, looking torn between censuring her and letting her do as she pleased.</p>
<p>Massaging his thighs, Eva got comfortable, eyes flicking upwards to gauge his expression. His mouth was parted, eyes dark and focused. The hand over the phone by his ear was clenched, the other laying flat against the couch cushion.</p>
<p>Hands tracing up to his stomach, Eva felt for his heartbeat, a quick pulse in his chest, belying body language that could conceivable be described as calm. That was progress. Eva laid her cheek against his thigh, keeping as much eye contact as she could. She placed one hand on the opposite knee, pushing very slightly. Obediently, he let his legs fall further open.</p>
<p>Pursing her lips to keep the smile away, Eva rubbed her cheek up his thigh until she reached the bulge beneath his fly. She exhaled, letting him feel the heat from her breath. Then, she tilted her head and, meeting his eyes, licked him from base to tip. He inhaled, nostrils flaring, eyes narrowed and gaze hot. She did it again, putting a little bit more pressure on him with her tongue.</p>
<p>For a few minutes, that’s all she did, until the fabric of his pants was wet and he was pulsing with every touch. Reaching up, she slipped his belt through the buckle, nimble fingers flicking open the button and carefully lowering the fly.</p>
<p>She looked up, fingers tucked into his waistband, just to make sure he was okay. Breathing uneven, he pulled his bottom lip between his teeth and lifted his hips in invitation. The conversation continued, though Horacio more than once had to cover the mouthpiece of the phone when she drew him into her mouth, tongue extending to get at as much of him as she could. His moan was strained as he worked to keep it inside.</p>
<p>Eva pushed her hands up his chest, the material of his uniform and undershirt catching on her wrists and drawing upwards to reveal the thick trunk of his torso. She lifted her mouth, letting his cock fall to his stomach for a moment as she took him in. Chest heaving, red in his cheeks, pants pulled down just past the bend of his ass—Eva had to bite her tongue to keep the moan of want inside.</p>
<p>Sucking him back into her mouth, Eva pumped him with one hand, the other slipping down to cradle his sack. The thighs on either side of her tightened a little bit more with every down stroke, and she could feel the tension in his hips as he worked to keep them still. He was only a little bit successful, they rolled up to meet her, keeping time with her rhythm.</p>
<p>Above her, his voice cracked. She looked up. His eyes were closed, the hand on the couch pushing hard into the cushion. His responses to whoever he was talking to were short and sharp. In her hands, he hardened further, and she could feel his sack drawing up against his body. Eva sped up.</p>
<p>Grabbing her shoulder for purchase, Horacio pressed a bit into her movement, trying to slow her down. She gripped his hand, slotting her fingers between his and setting it on the couch very deliberately. Eva could taste the pre-come that was leaking from his tip, knew that he was getting dangerously close. From above, he ended the conversation with a terse goodbye, slamming the phone down into the cradle with a sharp moan.</p>
<p>“Eva,” he breathed, finally letting his lungs take in the air they needed. “Eva, come here.”</p>
<p>He tried to pull her up, but she caught that hand and pushed it into the couch as well. Without use of her own hands, it took more concentration to keep her body over him, to keep licking and sucking and tonguing him. In her grip, his hands flexed, but remained where she put them. Fingers entwined with his, Eva breathed through her nose, hollowing her cheeks.</p>
<p>Groaning, his hips jerked upwards, nearly gagging her. Eva had to let go of one of her hands to keep him steady in her mouth. The added sensation of her fist bobbing in time with her mouth pushed a pained grunt from his chest, a rumbling growl following. The hand she still held tightened.</p>
<p>“Fuck, <em>fuck,” </em><span>he spit, and then she could feel the initial pulse of his orgasm. </span></p>
<p>
  <span>She swallowed down what she could, a bit dripping down his length and between her fingers. She used the extra lubrication to continue pumping him until he was spent. Pulling off, Eva sat back on her heels and </span>
  <span>took him in. </span>
</p>
<p>Horacio was sweating a bit, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. Eyes closed, mouth open, head tilted back. Beautiful man. Eva smiled and pushed up so that she could sink into the couch next to him. He pulled his pants back up over his hips, but left them open. Then, he flung an arm over her, head lolling to the side to look at her.</p>
<p>“<span>I think I needed that,” he said. His brows quirked a little, “Maybe not while I was on the phone with Javier trying to discuss bank statements.”</span></p>
<p>Eva laughed, “Do you think he knew?”</p>
<p>“I don’t care,” he replied, cupping her cheek and kissing her. He stood, pulling her with him, “Come on, I need a shower and I want you with me.”</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Chapter 19</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>She’s slipping on her heels when he calls out to her from the living room—<em><span>Amorcita, are you ready?</span></em><span><span> Eva shook her head and picked up her clutch, slinging the little chain over her arm and flicking off the lights as she </span></span><span><span>moved through the house</span></span><span><span>.</span></span></p>
<p>“Yes,” she said as she turned the corner, “I’m ready.”</p>
<p>
  <span>
    <span>He was buttoning </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>the jacket of </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>a </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>deep navy blue suit</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>, turning at the sound of her voice w</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>hen she spotted him</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>. It never failed. Never. Eva’s breath caught as she took him in. Broad shoulders that led down to thick arms that could hold her so tightly, hands that she had long since memorized the feel of as they skimmed over her skin, </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>the focus of his eyes as he looked at her</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>. She swallowed, smoothing down the folds of her dress. </span>
  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>
    <span>Eva</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span> was wearing the red number that she’d worn to the last crime scene she would ever be a part of. I</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>t</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span> felt right that she should give it a new memory to live in. </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>She</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span> had decided to make as many new memories as possible </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>so that she could</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span> dissolve the hurtful ones that had controlled her since she was fourteen. </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>So much had happened in the last year that Eva almost couldn’t wrap her mind around it. </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>She went from being almost completely alone in the world to hav</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>ing </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>friends, to having Horacio.</span>
  </span>
</p>
<p>He was staring at her, eyes dark, taking in every detail. Eva let him look as she sauntered forward, rising up in her heels when she reached him to give him a chaste kiss. His arms encircled her waist, pulling her close.</p>
<p>“Maybe we should stay in,” he prompted, nose tracing down the line of her neck.</p>
<p>Eva squeezed his shoulders, shivering as his lips skimmed her skin, “You promised me a night out.”</p>
<p>He pulled back, considering, “I did make a promise.”</p>
<p>“You did,” she confirmed, toying with the hair at the nape of his neck.</p>
<p>“Then, we should go,” he replied, taking her hand and leading her to the door, “Before I decide to break that promise.”</p>
<p>
  <span>
    <span>Smiling like an idiot, she followed him out the door and into the darkening of the night. </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>He took her to a little bar—bar was not the word. Eva didn’t have a word for what this place was. Small, so dimly lit that she was having a difficult time seeing clearly. The clientele were all dressed similarly, suits, cocktail dresses, heels, and ties. </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>The décor was all dark wood and polished bronze, warm tones in all the fabric. </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>It smelled a little liquor and a lot like spice and heat.</span>
  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>
    <span>He led her to</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span> a table off to the side of the dance floor, a few couples already swaying to the sultry beat. Eva tucked her dress beneath her thighs as she lowered into the chair Horacio held for her. As was usual, she let him order for her, smiling wide </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>when</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span> the wait staff brought forth a pair of tumblers filled with amber liquid. </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>She watched carefully as he</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span> gave the waitress a few bills, tucked discreetly between his fingers. </span>
  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>
    <span>Eva was struck was the fluidity of the action, something he probably did a lot as he bought and sold favors. </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>Though she had seen quite a bit of his work in their time together—had glimpsed the ruthlessness with which he hunted down his targets—it still gave her pause. </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>He did it almost without thinking, muscle memory as much as it was training and experience. </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>Eva found herself </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>continuing to watch him </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>as he scanned the room, ever vigilant. </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>Even now, when they were supposed to be relaxing and spending time together, the inherent threat of his work subtly pressed in from the outside.</span>
  </span>
</p>
<p>With conscious effort, she put the subject away and focused on her drink. A small sip confirmed that he’d ordered the same thing that he’d ordered in the restaurant all those months ago, a whiskey he favored. It rolled over her tongue, burned fire down her throat. She’d had to nurse it, if she had any hope of staying upright in her heels.</p>
<p>“If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?”</p>
<p>She asked the question to get the answer as much as to start the conversation. He’d fallen silent during the ride over, his attention diverted by whatever he was thinking about. Eva’s flight out of the country was fast approaching and they’d discussed that he would be accompanying her to the meeting Javier had scheduled. It hadn’t gone much further than that, their lives lived one step at a time. Though Eva had spent nearly the last fifteen years doing that very thing, she found herself wanting to plan a little further out, to actually look forward to something in the future.</p>
<p>Horacio glanced at her, setting his glass down and thinking, “I liked Spain, when I was assigned there.”</p>
<p>She recalled that he’d mentioned spending time there, an assignment that he enjoyed until he’d been called back home to deal with the rising power of the cartel.</p>
<p>“Oh?”</p>
<p>With a nod, he continued, “It was...quieter, there.”</p>
<p>Eva hummed, “Quiet is good.”</p>
<p>“Quiet is different,” he offered, as a compromise, “But, the work was steady, and I didn’t get shot at half as much.”</p>
<p>Brows lifting, she prompted, “Half as much?”</p>
<p>His mouth curled a little, “At all. I didn’t get shot at, at all.”</p>
<p>“<span><span>That’s a nice change of pace,” Eva replied, crossing her legs.</span></span></p>
<p>
  <span>
    <span>S</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>he liked how soft his expression was in that moment, the little smile he allowed to form on his lips. </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>He’d been smiling like that more and more since they’d met, though it was not yet a daily occurrence. She hoped that it someday would be.</span>
  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>
    <span>H</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>e gave a low chuckle, wordlessly agreeing with her. Then, “What about you?”</span>
  </span>
</p>
<p>Her answer was reflexive, “I’m right where I want to be.”</p>
<p>That seemed to startle him. He stared for several long seconds, eyes unblinking. Eva held his gaze, unwilling to back down from her statement. It was true. She was exactly where she wanted to be—with him, here. It didn’t matter that she was probably still in danger from her former in laws. It also didn’t matter that her administrator may or may not have set her up to be killed. Eva was content to be sitting in a cozy little not-quite-bar, sipping bourbon that burned down her throat, next to a man who was looking at her as if he couldn’t quite figure her out.</p>
<p>
  <span>
    <span>Horacio lifted an arm, taking her hand as it lay on the table, holding it warmly. </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>They sat like that for a while, listening to the band. When a low, slow beat started up, he stood and pulled her onto the dance floor. She followed with a smile, draping her arm o</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>ver</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span> his shoulder and toying with the collar of his jacket. </span>
  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>
    <span>He looked good in it, the dark blue contrasting with the lighter blue of his button down. The low light cast half his face in shadow, accentuating the sharp jawline, the pout of his lips. </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>She couldn’t resist rising onto tip toe and kissing him quickly. </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>He smiled into it, eyes crinkling at the corners.</span>
  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>
    <span>A</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>round them, she noticed a few turned heads, the eyes of curious onlookers. </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>She’d gotten used to being a little bit of a curiosity, an American out of her element. These kinds of look</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>s, however, were a bit newer</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span> for her, occurring more often when they went out in public.</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span> Narrowed gazes, jealousy shining in them, </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>pointed in her direction</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>. Eva ignored them, focusing on the man in her arms. </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>Her hands spread out of his chest, fingers pausing over an unfamiliar bump </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>in the cloth </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>of his jacket.</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span> Brows drawing together, she peeked underneath.</span>
  </span>
</p>
<p>“Do you think you’ll need this?” She asked with a lifted brow, her mouth half smiling.</p>
<p>
  <span>
    <span>H</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>oracio sighed, “This is a new location for me. I wanted to be safe.”</span>
  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>
    <span>Eva tapped her forefinger over the strap of the harness that was secured over both shoulders. </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>Though she couldn’t see them, she knew there were a pair of hand guns tucked at his sides, ready if he needed them.</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span> This didn’t seem to be the kind of place where a gun fight would break out, but she agreed that safety was a priority, even when it was unlikely.</span>
  </span>
</p>
<p>“Okay,” she said, eventually.</p>
<p>He looked away, hands flexing on her body. Eva hadn’t fought him on the body guards, hadn’t even argued when he ordered an officer outside of her apartment. Not arguing didn’t mean that she liked the fact that he had to be armed even on a date night. It just meant that this wasn’t the hill she was willing to die on—figuratively, speaking. Inherently, she knew that he wouldn’t give her an inch when it came to her safety. Even if he verbally relented, he’d just tell his men to hide better, so that she didn’t notice them. She’d rather know who was watching the house, and when.</p>
<p><span><span>T</span></span><span><span>hey danced until the end of the song, but when they moved off the floor, their table had been taken by a group of people talking animatedly. </span></span><span><span>Eva could see that he was going to approach, </span></span><span><span>and she was reluctant to draw any further attention to them.</span></span> <span><span>S</span></span><span><span>o, she grabbed his arm and leaned her weight back </span></span><span><span>to slow him down and direct him towards the bar</span></span><span><span>. </span></span><span><span>To her surprise, he went with her.</span></span></p>
<p>At the bar, he ordered another round and they spent some time talking and drinking. The music continued on, a low thrum that echoed the excited beat of her heart. She found herself leaning into him, touching his arm and thumbing the buttons on his jacket. He welcomed her touch, as he always did, eyes straying down her body from time to time, lingering on her legs.</p>
<p>Eva’s cheeks were warm, the feeling spreading down her neck and chest. Her skin felt too sensitive, sizzling when he touched her or when she brushed against his body. It was heady, knowing that he wanted her, knowing that she could have him whenever she wanted. An inhale told her that he was feeling it, too, his scent deepening slowly as time went on.</p>
<p>She caught another narrowed look from a woman at the far end of the bar. When she held the gaze a bit longer than would have been polite, the woman rolled her eyes and pushed away, heading into the crowd. Eva laughed derisively, draining her glass and setting it on the bar.</p>
<p>“What?” he asked, curious.</p>
<p>She shook her head, “Nothing, just a thought.”</p>
<p>All he did was lift a brow and she knew exactly what he was saying. She huffed, looking to the side and debating her words.</p>
<p>“I’ve been getting a few looks tonight,” she muttered, taking half a step towards him so that the skin of her thighs brushed the fabric off his slacks. “That’s all.”</p>
<p>He was immediately straightening, his head turning. Eva caught his chin quickly, keeping him from being too obvious about it. That was exactly what she did <em>not</em> need right now.</p>
<p>“Its fine. They’re not bad looks.”</p>
<p>And, they weren’t. Eva was proud that she’d garnered a little bit of envy that night, a testament to the man standing in front of her. She let go of his chin, smoothing her hand down his lapel.</p>
<p>Head tilting to the side, he asked, “What kind of looks are they?”</p>
<p>She bit her lip, chin lowered so that she could look up at him through her lashes, “Envy, mostly.”</p>
<p>His lips parted, brows furrowing. Eva shook her head and ran a finger down the little crease between them, smoothing the skin. Then, she pushed up a little and kissed his cheek, charmed by his confusion.</p>
<p>“You’re hot, sweetie. I’m bound to get a few evil eyes now and again.”</p>
<p>He huffed a breath, his expression a little boyish, “Thank you, but I think you’re maybe just a little biased.”</p>
<p>Eva rolled her eyes, “I might be biased, but that doesn’t mean I can’t see that you’re objectively gorgeous.”</p>
<p>He rolled his eyes and fixed her with a sardonic look, “I think ‘gorgeous’ might be going a little far.”</p>
<p>Pursing her lips, Eva decided that maybe he needed to hear the evidence. She leaned further into his space, chin tilting up to hold his gaze.</p>
<p>“Should I describe it for you?” When he went to say ‘no’, she pushed on, “I’m gonna start at the top, okay?”</p>
<p>Gently, Eva wrapped her finger around a curl that had fallen over his forehead, “You have the most adorable curls that you do your damndest to tame. I love how wild they are when you wake up in the morning.”</p>
<p>One side of his mouth lifted, not quite a laugh. A good sign. She kept on.</p>
<p>“You have the most expressive eyes. Even if I couldn’t read your scent, I’d be able to tell your moods just by looking at them.” Hand tracing down over his temple and behind his ear, “And, I think we’ve established that I could absolutely drown myself in your scent. Its part of why I love wearing your clothes.”</p>
<p>His hands were holding her waist, pulling her closer into his body. Eyes flicking down to her mouth, she could see his intent to kiss her. Not to be deterred, Eva leaned a little bit away, smiling at the little sound of frustration he made.</p>
<p>“And,” she continued, “Let’s not even talk about this mouth.” Her thumb traced over his lower lip, pushing just a bit into the soft pillow of flesh, “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve come just thinking about how deeply you kiss me—and <em>where</em> you kiss me.”</p>
<p>The hissing inhale was gratifying for Eva, as was the unchecked fire burning in his eyes. She was on the right track. She should definitely keep going.</p>
<p>Hands moving, she followed the line of his throat and over his shoulders, “I love how strong you are, I love how tightly these arms hold me.” Leaning in, she pressed a kiss to the hollow of his throat, left bare by the open buttons of his shirt, “I love it when you hold me down, make it impossible for me to move.”</p>
<p>Her name escaped his lips in warning, followed by a hard swallow. She shushed him lowly, fingers dancing down his chest to fall to the cool metal of his belt buckle. Angling her body, Eva blocked any onlookers from seeing how she turned her palm down and cupped him, half hard behind his fly. Against her side, she could feel the vibration of the groan he couldn’t keep inside. His hand encircled her wrist, keeping her from adding any further pressure or friction.</p>
<p>She looped her arm around his waist beneath his jacket. It was a little awkward, the bend of her elbow curving around the barrel of a pistol. Eva leaned as much weight as she dared into him, head tilted back so that he could read her expression.</p>
<p>“Big Guy, all I have to do is look at you and I want to feel this inside me. I can guarantee that anyone who looks at you is going to feel the same way.”</p>
<p>His eyes closed, jaw tight, and Eva knew she’d finally pushed him to his limit. Pulling her hand away, Horacio spun her around and guided her towards the door. She had to skip a little to keep up with his longer stride, but Eva could not keep the delirious little smile from her face as she followed him to the parking lot.</p>
<p>The ride home was tense. He was quiet, but the hand on her knee was firm and warm. Eva let the silence hang between them, feeling little tingles of anticipation rise ever higher as they got closer.</p>
<p>Once he had her inside, Horacio turned and pushed her against the door, hands cradling her jaw as he kissed her. He nipped at her mouth, sucking her lower lip to soothe the sting. Eva struggled to keep her balance as she soaked in the heat of his kiss, the sensual press of his body against her.</p>
<p>With a long, firm caress, he ran his hand down her side, fingers bunching her skirt until he had the mass of fabric balled in one fist. Using his free hand, Horacio gripped her hip, a rough sound escaping his lips as he discovered she hadn’t been wearing panties. Eva loved that he was always surprised, though she went without them regularly.</p>
<p>Face pushed into the crook of her neck, Horacio slipped his fingers through her folds, breathing hard. He groaned lowly as he spread the wetness around, encouraging her non-verbally to widen her legs a little. Eva balanced on her heels, head falling back to rest against the door. Her breath stuttered out of her as he circled her opening firmly, just once.</p>
<p>He played with her for a moment, breath hot against her neck. Slow, teasing touches that weren’t nearly enough. She grasped his forearm, using it as leverage to rotate her hips up and into his fingers. Head lifting, he kissed her. It was a harsh thing, almost a punishment, but she encouraged him nonetheless, her body responding excitedly to the prospect of more rough touches. Eva’s eyes closed tightly, a strange feeling rising in her chest.</p>
<p>It was hope. A warm, desperate hope—desperate for this man, desperate for the life she was building, desperate for the thing she wanted very much. Eva fought with herself trying to stay in the moment, trying to feel the way he tangled his tongue with hers, the way his scent sharpened with arousal, the way his fingers were sliding inside her.</p>
<p>She moaned, ending on a high pitched whine as he circled her clit with hard pressure. Gone were the teasing touches. Instead, he pushed her harder and harder with every thrust, fingers spreading out inside her and curling to rub at her g spot.</p>
<p>Legs shaking, Eva came with a hoarse shout, her hands holding onto his shoulders for dear life. He eased her down, praise falling from his lips. Horcaio held her close while she regained her footing, pressing little kisses over her forehead, her eyelids, her cheeks.</p>
<p>Then, he dropped to his knees, both hands on her hips, her dress draped of his wrists. Licking up the inside of her thigh, he said, “If you hit the floor, I’ll fuck you on it.”</p>
<p>Eva knees buckled reflexively, a laugh already forming even as he growled in frustration. He laid back, hauling her up his body. Eva went willingly, though her brows came together as he urged her higher. Walking on her knees, she settled with her thighs on either side of his head, his arms holding her steady from below.</p>
<p>He gave her maybe half a second warning before his mouth was on her. Still sensitive, Eva curled down over him, one hand gripping his hair, the other balanced on the arm across her thighs. Running the flat of his tongue from bottom to top, Horacio shook his head a little, spreading her folds. He kissed first one side, then the other, tongue rolling along the seam and adding an undulating pressure. Eva bit her lip, her hips swiveling. When he sucked hard on her clit, she keened lifting a bit when the pleasure burned at little too hot.</p>
<p>The hand holding her hip rotated, pushing up her sternum and between her breasts. He hooked his fingers in the center of her bra, using it to hold her down and against his mouth. Eva whined, the sensation of his stubble scraping against her inner thigh zinging through her. Her breaths came faster as he zeroed in on her clit, tongue circling over and over. He encourage her hips to rock against him, his arm pushing against her lower back.</p>
<p>The fabric of her dress kept her from seeing his mouth working her over, a fact that made the sound of him sucking and nipping at her all the more tantalizing. Feeling the orgasm grow closer, Eva gripped both of his arms, shuddering. It was shorter, less intense than the first, but it only seemed to urge him on. His mouth opened, drinking her down, tongue rubbing from side to side.</p>
<p>Heaving deep breaths, Eva tried to rise up, intending to slide down his body and reciprocate. She was stopped when his arms tightened to near the point of pain, keeping her right where he wanted. His low growl rumbled against her, causing a little aftershock of feeling.</p>
<p>Letting go of her bra, Horacio massaged down her belly to her hip to her knee. Thumb pushing into the soft skin behind it, he widened her stance even more. Eva’s legs shook as she tried to keep balance, the carpet digging into her knees and shins.</p>
<p>Slipping his arm underneath her, he pushed first two, then three, fingers inside, mouth locking on her. Eva gave a startled little cry, breaths stuttering. The feeling of him mouthing at her, arm holding her still had her ricocheting off the previous orgasm and stumbling into the next. Surprised, she couldn’t keep her weight underneath her, her thighs giving out.</p>
<p>In an effort to keep from suffocating him, Eva tried to push forward onto her hands. With a sound of censure, Horacio held her still, licking lazily at her still fluttering pussy. He let her go eventually, when he was sure that he’d gotten every drop from her. Boneless, Eva fell to the side, letting him roll her to her back.</p>
<p>“Good?” he asked, settling between her thighs and tucking her hair behind her ear.</p>
<p>Eva nodded, barely able to keep her eyes open, a soft warmth filling every corner of her body. He gave her a small smile, eyes twinkling with amusement. Eva scoffed, pushing at his shoulder a little, embarrassed. He caught her hand and kissed it, following up with a soft kiss to her wrist.</p>
<p>The smile on Eva’s face faded as she took in the adoration in his expression. He looked at her as no one ever had. With him, she was not a possession to be used, or a felon paying penance, or even an unbonded omega. She was just herself, that was all she needed to be.</p>
<p>Gaze soft, Horacio leaned down and kissed her. Eva closed her eyes, trying to keep the emotions she was feeling inside. Knowing that she was riding a thin line, Eva slipped her hands under his jacket, pushing to down and over his shoulders. He balanced on one hand and then the other, tossing the jacket away.</p>
<p>Resting his weight on her, Horacio pushed her dress up a little further, gathering it beneath her hips and tilting them up. Deep, intense kisses. Firm, warm caresses. He built her up slowly, pulling her along with him until she was arching up into his body, grinding against the erection at her hip.</p>
<p>Nimble hands pulled at his belt, opening his fly and pushing the fabric down. He rose up, reaching for his jacket and digging into the breast pocket. With a sound of victory, he pulled out a condom and tore into it, rolling it on with smooth, efficient movements. And then he was pushing inside.</p>
<p>He took his time, easing in and out, pushing just a bit further with each thrust. The movement was so controlled that the normal two or three pushes inward became six, the glide easy with how wet she was. Eva tucked her head into his neck, hands clenching in the fabric of his button up. When he pulled back and gave her a slow, full thrust, the air went out of her and her upper body collapsed against the floor.</p>
<p>Sensitive and flushed, she looked up at him. He was breathing deeply, sweat on his temples. She touched his cheek and he smiled, kissing her briefly. Leaning on his elbow, he dropped his forehead to hers, hips rotating. The pace mounted, his movements ending with a little grind that had her bowing up with the sensation.</p>
<p>They were sharing breaths, their bodies wrapped tightly together, heat bouncing back and forth between them. Eva gripped his biceps, chin tilting up, eyes squeezing shut as she hissed in a breath. A harsh sound escaped him, caught in that back of his throat as he reached down to grab her thigh, hauling her leg up and around his waist. The cool metal of the pistol at his side dug into the soft meat just above her knee, the little bit of pain adding to the frisson running all over her.</p>
<p>Eva gasped as he pushed deep, filling her to the brim and holding her suspended for just a moment. She bit her lip, watching him look at her with such affection that she could feel the urge to cry well up behind her eyes.</p>
<p>“I love you,” she said, the words out of her mouth before she could catch them.</p>
<p>She expected him to be taken aback, perhaps pull away and ask her what she’d said. She expected the he’d be surprised by the admission. He wasn’t. Horacio searched her face for a moment, then grinned at her, full-dimpled.</p>
<p>“Good,” he pronounced, as if he’d known all along. Then, “I love you, Eva.”</p>
<p><em>Ah, fuck,</em> she thought, blinking as she tried very hard not to cry. He chuckled, kissing her sweetly. Unable to stand it, she grabbed at his collar and took a deeper kiss, lifting her hips to encourage him to move again. He moaned into her mouth, lips pulling back from his teeth.</p>
<p>Spurred on, he picked up the rhythm again, building to a faster, harder pace than before. Each forward rock of his hips intentionally pushed as far as he could go, as if he couldn’t get deep enough. Movements fluid, Horacio gripped the leg not wrapped around his waist and pulled it up and around, locking her ankles just above his ass.</p>
<p>Pushing to his hands, he snapped his hips against her, eliciting a squeak from her. Eva could only hold onto the wrinkled shirt in her hands as he changed the angle slightly. Pleasure careened wildly, her body clenching down, a squeeze that had him biting out a pathetically high whimper, his face scrunching. His hips faltered, arms shaking, breath stilling as he pulsed, coming hard.</p>
<p>He dropped to his elbows, hands in her hair. The kiss that followed was soft and sweet. Carefully, he pulled out, slipping the condom off and tying it off. They laid there for a few moments, staring at the ceiling. Eva’s head lolled to the side, looking at him in profile.</p>
<p>“You know, we haven’t packed yet for our flight.”</p>
<p>Horacio huffed a laugh, “Its a three day turn around. We won’t need much.”</p>
<p>Always with the practicality.</p>
<p>“Oh, yeah,” Eva replied, rolling her eyes, “I’ll just show up to the offices in my underwear.”</p>
<p>He lifted a brow, glancing sidelong at her, “I wouldn’t complain.”</p>
<p>Rolling to her side, Eva rested her head on her elbow, “You would. What you wouldn’t do is let me out of the hotel room.”</p>
<p>With a nod, he conceded the point. Sitting up, he pushed to standing and headed for the kitchen to toss the condom in the waste bin. Eva laid there and watched him unfasten the harness across his shoulders, setting it on the kitchen table. Pants hanging open, he made his way back to her and helped her stand.</p>
<p>“Hurting anywhere?”</p>
<p>She shook her head, “Although I’ll probably have a little rug burn. I’ll take it though.”</p>
<p>Shaking his head, he kissed her, fingers running through her hair, “I love you.”</p>
<p>Eva felt her chest constrict, unused to the feeling. She swallowed, her voice a rasp, “I love you, too.”</p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Chapter 20</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Eva did her very best not to fidget. She’d been in this building before, though not on this particular floor. The unfamiliar location coupled with having never laying eyes on the person she was meeting with made her anxious. And, when she was anxious, she felt herself begin to fidget. She was sitting in the lobby, one high heeled foot bouncing over her crossed knee. The décor was taupe, which she heard could be very soothing. It did not soothe Eva.</p>
<p>A hand landed on her knee, warm and heavy, stopping her movement. She looked over at Horacio, breathing deeply. His scent—that was what would soothe her. She wondered if it would be acceptable to lean over in her chair and bury her nose in his neck. He’d probably take it in stride, but she feared the displeased looks from the others in the lobby. She’d had enough judgmental stares to last her a lifetime. There was no need to add to them.</p>
<p>Eventually, they were called back and led to a sterile office not far down the hall. The assistant ushered them to their seats and asked if they needed anything, an offer that was turned down. A few moments later, a man walked in hurriedly. He was dressed in a gray suit that was a little too big for him, a striped tie flapping with each step. Middle aged, hair silver enough to tell her that he’d started graying early, though he had a good hairline that was only just now beginning to recede. His belt didn’t match his shoes.</p>
<p>“I apologize for the delay, I was caught in a meeting that went a little long,” he said in that warm Southern drawl that Eva had completely forgotten existed. As he sat and picked up a pen, he continued, “I’m agent Richardson.”</p>
<p>Eva introduced herself and Horacio, smiling as congenially as she could. A firm grasp of her body kept her from bouncing her leg, but she did stutter a little. It had been a long time since she’d felt so utterly exposed.</p>
<p>“Agent Peña said that you’ve got evidence that could helpful in my investigation?”</p>
<p>Eva gave a stilted nod, scratching at the skin above her brow, “I do.”</p>
<p>Hands turning up in question, he prompted, “And?”</p>
<p>She hesitated. Everything that had been ingrained in her from an early age rebelled against talking with a federal agent, no matter how long she’d been working with them.</p>
<p>He noted her reluctance, “You’ve signed the immunity agreement. Anything you say here can’t be held against you, as long as you cooperate.”</p>
<p>Eva looked away, swallowing back the fear of going back to prison. She’d talked with Horacio about it on the flight over. He’d listened intently to her distrust of the government, had held her hand when she started to cry. And then, when her tears were dry, he assured her that, if push came to shove, he’d smuggle her out of the country. The contingency plan was already mostly formed. They’d packed lightly, and he had a set of forged passports sewn into his carry on.</p>
<p>“Ardent Pharmaceuticals,” she began. “I created their tax system, I initiated all their LLC licenses as of fifteen years ago. They have holdings in at least three off shore accounts, I can provide you with those account numbers and with the banks they’re associated with.”</p>
<p>Agent Richardson’s face was very still, Eva wasn’t sure that he was even breathing. After a moment, he said, “You’re confident you can get me that information.”</p>
<p>Eva licked her lips, pausing only a moment, “Yes. I can do that.”</p>
<p>He blinked, rolling the pen between his fingers, “Alright. Let’s get started.”</p>
<p>When they were walking out of the building, Eva’s heels clicking on the pavement, Horacio took her hand. Their hotel was maybe a few blocks away and the weather was pleasant for the time of year. A cool breeze rustled her hair, the smell of street food coming along with it. This was nice. Really nice.</p>
<p>She felt a kind of heavy relief flow out of her body, the muscles of her neck and shoulders loosening with every step. It might come back and bite her in the ass, but she’d done the right thing. She knew it, deep down.</p>
<p>Horacio transferred her hand to the other side, his now free arm wrapping around her middle. Their stride slowed a little. Eva didn’t mind at all.</p>
<p>“I love this skirt, you know?” he murmured, the pads of his fingers running along the waistband.</p>
<p>She remembered him telling her how much he loved this skirt the first night they’d slept together. <em>Dreams,</em><span> he’d said. Eva smiled, leaning into him.</span></p>
<p>“I do know,” she replied easily, not even bothering to hide the affection in her gaze.</p>
<p>
  <span>He kissed her temple, leading her through the doors of the hotel. The air conditioning blew at her, a sharp contrast to the soft wind outside. </span>
  <span>She shivered despite Horacio’s warmth around her. He noticed, the arm at her waist rising up to encircle her shoulders. </span>
  <span>She touched his fingers briefly while they waited for the elevator. </span>
</p>
<p>“<span>I’m proud of you.”</span></p>
<p>She looked up at him, “Why?”</p>
<p>
  <span>He shrugged, “It wasn’t easy for you to go through all of that. We were in there for three hours, Eva. You dredged up every detail of your </span>
  <span>work to hide your in laws’ criminal activity</span>
  <span> like it was… nothing.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lips parting, she </span>
  <span>felt her brows come together, “Because it </span>
  <em>was</em>
  <span> nothing.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The doors to the elevator opened and he ushered her inside. </span>
  <span>Tapping the button to their floor, he shot her a look that said he expected a further explanation. Eva chuckled, leaning back against the railing.</span>
</p>
<p>“<span>This year has been...fantastic,” </span><span>she started, eyes on the dusty ceiling of the carriage. “I never could have thought that I’d end up here, with you.” </span></p>
<p>
  <span>A ding sounded and Eva walked ahead of Horacio, pulling him willingly along by the hand, “All those things </span>
  <span>I talked about</span>
  <span>, I’ve spent years working through them. I still think about it, yeah, and I still have to work on it. But, what that was in there? That was simple math. </span>
  <span>I need them to be so tied up legally that they don’t have the capital to pay another hitman. And, I needed to get a little vengeance—more vengeance—than I already had.”</span>
</p>
<p>Horacio keyed into their room, tossing the key onto the table near the door. Eva followed him, sitting on the bed to remove her shoes. Though they were comfortable, a few blocks’ walk had earned her some relief. She rubbed at the arch of her foot with her thumb.</p>
<p>
  <span>Sitting next to her, he took her hand again, gazing carefully at her expression, “</span>
  <span>Its not your job to take down their entire enterprise.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>T</span>
  <span>he steadiness of his gaze, the sincerity of his expression, was amusing. He had already made her </span>
  <span>out to be </span>
  <span>a little bit of a martyr, which was pretty much the opposite of what was happening. </span>
</p>
<p>Eva rolled her eyes, “I have no aspirations of that. I just want to make a little trouble.”</p>
<p>More than a little trouble. She wanted to breakdown their ability to make moves the way they had been doing for so long. She wanted them utterly impotent for the foreseeable future.</p>
<p>
  <span>His smile reached his eyes, the corners crinkling, “</span>
  <span>I think you’ve achieved that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>N</span>
  <span>ot yet, she hadn’t. There was still the matter of the fallout and Eva did not trust in the effectiveness of the American government. </span>
  <span>She would have to watch from the sidelines as they worked—or, didn’t work. Either way. Eva very much wanted it to work.</span>
</p>
<p>“<span>I’ll admit that it would be nice to see Myra in one of those prison jumpsuits.”</span></p>
<p>Thumb rubbing at her palm, Horacio seemed to be trying to picture it, “When it happens, I’ll see if I can get someone to take a picture, for posterity’s sake.”</p>
<p>He sat another moment longer, and Eva could tell that he had something to say and was trying to find the words. She lifted a brow, in silent invitation.</p>
<p>Pulling his lips between his teeth, he was quiet another moment before his hand tightened on hers, “I put in my resignation.”</p>
<p>Shocked, Eva could only say, “When?”</p>
<p>“Before we left.”</p>
<p>“Why?”</p>
<p>
  <span>He blinked, head </span>
  <span>cocking to the side, “Because you were right. Because I’ll be dead very soon if I keep on doing this.”</span>
</p>
<p>It took about thirty seconds for Eva to get her mind about what he’d just said. In those thirty seconds, she made a few decisions, and maybe fell in love just a little bit more. They would have to take a detour before they got to the airport.</p>
<p>“What are you going to do next?”</p>
<p>His work was his entire life, it consumed almost every waking minute. The man probably made plans to arrest dealers in his sleep.</p>
<p>He shrugged, “I’ve got some loose ends I need to tie up, and then I thought we could make the decision together.”</p>
<p>Her jaw dropped a bit. He wanted to make plans. Together. He wanted to make plans—plans for the future—with her. Plans they could enact. Plans that didn’t involve looking over their shoulder for the rest of their lives.</p>
<p>Eva leaned over and kissed him, sniffing back the tears that threatened. Really, she hadn’t cried this much since the first year of her marriage. Happy tears, though, were always welcome.</p>
<p>
  <span>In the cab the next day, Eva prompted the driver to pull off the highway a few exits early. </span>
  <span>When Horacio asked what they were doing, she simply smiled and patted his arm. The neighborhood she directed the driver to was...</span>
  <span>an acquired taste</span>
  <span>. The building that they stopped in front of was decrepit, </span>
  <span>nearly falling apart on its foundation</span>
  <span>. </span>
  <span>The place had once been the office of the mausoleum next door, but had fallen into disrepair when another office had been built on the other side. </span>
  <span>She was surprised the roof hadn’t completely caved in.</span>
</p>
<p>“<span>Is this...safe?” he asked, </span><span>eyes looking over the building skeptically.</span></p>
<p>Eva smiled again, unbearably amused at his choice of words, “Safe is one way to put it.”</p>
<p>She walked ahead of him, moving through the first floor to the back room. It was small, and part of the floorboards were missing. She had to hop from joist to joist to get to the cold air return vent. The years had taken a toll on the bones of the place, leaving the hinges off center. It took several grunting yanks to get the cover free so that she could reach into the vent and pull the bag free.</p>
<p>
  <span>Covered in dust, but still whole, the black fabric was thin in some places from use. She’d had the thing since middle school, her name embroidered on one side. </span>
  <em>Evangeline</em>
  <span>, written in white thread </span>
  <span>that had turned yellow over the years</span>
  <span>. With shaking fingers, she traced the letters. </span>
  <span>It was the only thing she had from before she was married, everything else given up somewhere along the way. This, she was definitely holding onto. </span>
</p>
<p>“What is it?” Horacio asked from the door, his eyes scanning the room, mouth thin.</p>
<p>Eva looked up at him, “My retirement plan.”</p>
<p>Hopping across the joists towards him, she made her way to one of the few stable points in the front room, dropping the bag carefully. On one knee, she opened the zipper, spreading the fabric wide. Inside was every dollar she could skim from the till, about a hundred thousand in total.</p>
<p>
  <span>Horacio was standing next to her, looking down at the stacks </span>
  <span>with pride in his eyes</span>
  <span>, “</span>
  <span>I knew you were smart.”</span>
</p>
<p>Glancing at him from behind her lashes, Eva grinned, “I’m practical.”</p>
<p>He chuckled, “Same thing.”</p>
<p>Zipping the bag back up, Eva swung it over her shoulder, “Needless to say, this will be my carry on.”</p>
<p>He quirked a brow at her, amused, “Is that all you have hidden?”</p>
<p>“Here, at least.”</p>
<p>There was another couple of bags hidden here and there, none with nearly this much in them. She would have to make plans to touch base in those locations before they finalized their...Eva paused a moment. They had plans, or they would.</p>
<p>She smiled, “This is enough for now, I think.”</p>
<p>He held out his hand to her, “Then, we should go. The meter’s running.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Chapter 21</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Eva picked up the basket from the floor, dumping it on the bed to begin the sorting process. She made little piles in a line—shirts, shorts, underwear, socks. The slacks, she set aside to be hung, along with the occasional polo and her washable sundresses. Task complete, she pushed the stacks into their respective drawers and hung up the rest.</p>
<p>Setting the basket by the door, she moved to the windows and opened them to the cool morning air. It had taken a few days of frantically looking at every available home on the coast of Spain, hours upon hours spent walking through and trying to make a decision, before they found this one. Though not right on the water, it was close enough that she could hear the waves crashing on the shore. She inhaled the salt laden air, a warm contentment in her belly. Perfect.</p>
<p>Stepping away from the window, Eva plucked the basket from the floor and headed downstairs. On the landing, her stomach cramped hard enough that she dropped the basket. Hissing in pain, Eva bent over a bit, pressing her fingers into the source until it eased.</p>
<p>“The fuck was that?”</p>
<p>The feeling left as quickly as it came, leaving a soft ache in its place. Shaking her head to dismiss it, she set the basket on top of the washer and made her way lazily to the couch. Plopping down, she picked up the remote and channel surfed for about an hour, until the washer buzzed. She switched the load into the dryer and turned the knob, standing for a minute as the barrel turned.</p>
<p>A glance at the clock on the wall told her it was lunchtime, but she found that she wasn’t truly hungry. She should be. She hadn’t eaten breakfast, choosing instead to lounge in bed with Horacio until the very last second before he had to go to work. He’d found a job as a consultant for a security firm and seemed pretty happy with it. His permanent frown had eased, though he was still as serious as he’d ever been. She supposed that old habits would never truly die.</p>
<p>Though they’d only been in the house for about a week, he was settling into their routine with more ease than Eva. She was still looking over her shoulder a little bit, though Horacio had been monitoring her in laws with Javier’s contacts in the states. To compensate for starting over again in a new country, Eva had made a long distance phone call to Connie, giving her the run down and inviting her to stay when the summer was over. It helped—marginally.</p>
<p>Eva busied herself with staring at the open refrigerator, all the while giving a mental reminder that she had been the new girl in town over and over again throughout the years. This would, hopefully, be the last time. And, she had practiced her friend making skills in Colombia. She could do this. Again.</p>
<p>Finding nothing in the fridge worth making, Eva shut the door and leaned against the kitchen island, looking out over the open space floor plan. The dining room set was picked up from a local thrift shop, already scraped a little across the wooden tabletop. She’d seen it and loved it immediately. A little worn, but still good.</p>
<p>The couch was new—a luxurious leather that reminded her of the couch she’d curled up on with Horacio before they’d started selling furniture in prep for the move. A coffee table and entertainment center sat on a plush shag rug thrown over the hardwood. All in all, it was a good start to their new life together. Just a few essentials that she’d add to the longer they stayed <em>right here</em><span>.</span></p>
<p>Upstairs, they didn’t have much, other than a king size bed—Horacio had insisted on the larger mattress when Eva had balked. He needed a space to spread out, she needed enough room to nest properly. She had no argument against him, especially when he leaned down and whispered how easy it would be to go down on her properly. He could lay her out across the mattress and still have room for his own body, rather than kneeling on the floor or hanging off the edge. More comfort, meant more orgasms. Later, he’d proven his point several times over.</p>
<p>He’d also proved the point again the night previous. Eva felt her cheeks warm as she thought about it. He’d been...insatiable—no, they both were. He’d come home a little early. Eva was just starting dinner. He’d hung up his jacket and walked around the island, arms wrapping around her middle. The solid length of his body pressed up against her as she tried to chop celery was certainly distracting. As was his way, he tugged her hair over her shoulder and nosed along her neck, inhaling.</p>
<p>His hands covered hers and he gently pulled the knife from her fingers, setting it aside even as he walked her back and away from the counter. Dinner ended out being peanut butter and crackers, eaten furtively over the sink, hours after the sun had set.</p>
<p>Heading back to the couch, Eva flung herself back on it, smiling as she thought about how he’d trembled beneath her that last time, sweating and begging for her to come <em>just one more time</em><span>. </span><span>It was an image that, even now, made her fan herself. </span></p>
<p>
  <span>T</span>
  <span>aking a deliberate breath, Eva pointedly picked up the remote and put on some daytime television. </span>
  <span>For a while, it was enough of a distraction. She dozed a bit as the afternoon wore on, ignored the buzz of the dryer that signaled her clothes were dry, and generally did not much of anything. </span>
  <span>It wasn’t until her stomach gave another clench that Eva sat up and paid attention.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>H</span>
  <span>and to her belly, she stared into the middle distance as she tried to place just where the...pain wasn’t the word for it...ache, maybe. It throbbed gently now, spiked sporadically with a tightness that had her blowing out a breath. </span>
  <span>Pressing her free hand to her head, Eva noted the slight fever, though she felt herself give an involuntary shiver. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>W</span>
  <span>as she sick? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When she tried to stand, Eva went to her knees, a low, anguished moan sounding. </span>
  <span>On the floor, she breathed deep, her nose pressed into the rug. </span>
  <span>After a few seconds, the feeling eased and she was able to rock back onto her heels. Using the couch for leverage, she pushed to standing. </span>
  <span>Another steadying breath, and Eva was moving slowly around the couch to the kitchen cabinet where they kept most of their over the counter medications. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>W</span>
  <span>ith care, she turned each bottle around and read their label, not sure which she should rely on. </span>
  <span>Eventually, she settled on Tylenol and popped a few in her mouth with a glass of water. </span>
  <span>While she waited for it to kick in, Eva leaned a hip against the counter, her eyes feeling a little heavy. </span>
  <span>Perhaps she should eat...but the thought of food turned her stomach. </span>
  <span>Not even the very expensive chocolate bar in her hidden stash seemed appealing, and that was saying something.</span>
</p>
<p>Squinting into the afternoon sunlight, Eva waited for the ache to ease. The dull throbbing in her belly absolutely did not pass. It remained stubbornly in place, growing by tiny increments. Eva wiped at her brow, which had begun to sweat. Setting the glass down, Eva dropped her head into her hands and squeezed her eyes shut. Her body felt tired and wired and achy and lazy and utterly ridiculous all at the same time. There was so much going on that she didn’t know how to feel about it. Even her feelings were a mishmash of anxious and lethargic.</p>
<p>
  <em>Breathe.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As she took long, deep breaths, the smell of Horacio filled her lungs. Normally, she would be comforted by it, soothed. She was not, in this moment, soothed. </span>
  <span>The scent of him burned through her, settling low in her belly. Flicking her eyes to the clock on the wall, she noted the time. He wouldn’t be home for a few hours, even if he clocked out a</span>
  <span>s normal</span>
  <span>. </span>
  <span>She </span>
  <em>wanted </em>
  <span>him, wanted him with her, wanted him to hold her. </span>
  <span>Drowning in him was the only way she’d make it through whatever this was.</span>
</p>
<p>Mouth curling, Eva tried to think of something that she could do to distract herself. Looking around the house, she tried to find an activity—any activity—that could be done with little to no thought. Eva settled on some light cleaning. Leaning down to grab the cleaners from beneath the sink made her wince, her muscles straining as she tried to keep her body upright.</p>
<p>
  <span>Determined, Eva got through the table tops, the windows at the front of the house, and was wiping down the coffee table when she finally gave up. </span>
  <span>Throwing down the lemon scented towel, Eva slumped against the couch, head thrown back in resignation. Rubbing the heels of her palms into her eyes sockets, she groaned as another wave hit her. Only sheer force of will kept her from curling in on herself </span>
  <span>and dissolving into a tantrum</span>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>H</span>
  <span>ands falling to her lap, Eva stared at the ceiling for a long time, the dips and bends of it going in and out of focus. Breaths uneven, Eva felt her eyes tear up in frustration. </span>
  <span>Her jaw locked as she made every attempt to fight them off.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>What the fuck?</em>
  <span> She thought, flinching when fire began sizzling over her skin. Every second it grew </span>
  <span>more apparent that </span>
  <span>whatever this was, </span>
  <span>it was not going away. </span>
  <span>The hair at her temples was wet with sweat, her limbs were faintly trembling. </span>
  <span>She was dizzy and disoriented in a way that startled her. </span>
  <span>Eva closed her eyes, trying to relax...</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She awoke with a cry that was muffled by the rug. Shaking, Eva’s thighs clenched together, her cunt pulsing. She blinked at the individual strands of the shag, realization coming over her like a kick to the head. </span>
  <em>Heat</em>
  <span>. It was a heat. Though the ache was still making itself viscerally known, all she could feel was relief. She wasn’t sick, she wasn’t dying. She was just undergoing her normal cycle—well, normal for her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Pushing ever so carefully to sitting, Eva weighed her options. </span>
  <span>An hour and a half, and he would be home. She could do that. Maybe. </span>
  <span>Eva stood and grabbed the basket off the top of the dryer. In it, she put every snack she could find—anything that could be eaten quickly and without much effort. She also packed every soda, every sports drinks, every juice. They would need to replenish.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It took some time, </span>
  <span>and many breaks for her to catch her breath</span>
  <span>, but she got the basket upstairs and into the bedroom. Unable to help it, she checked the time again. Forty five minutes. She could do this. Moving as easily as she could, Eva made her way back downstairs, pulling an ice pack out of the freezer and sitting gingerly on the </span>
  <span>couch.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Half an hour. Fifteen minutes. Five. Zero. Nothing. His truck didn’t pull up in the drive. He didn’t come through the door. He just...wasn’t there. Not yet. Every minute th</span>
  <span>at</span>
  <span> followed was excruciating in a way that Eva hadn’t ever felt. </span>
  <span>Not in all the years since she’d manifested her designation had Eva truly felt as helpless as most omegas were perceived to be. The grim reaper, himself, could walk through the front door, and Eva wouldn’t be able to move a muscle in her own defense. </span>
</p>
<p>Too soon, it became overwhelming and Eva was crawling pitifully over the cushions and grabbing the phone, dialing the number to his office. The ringing took too long, but she was relieved at the sound of the handset picking up from the cradle.</p>
<p>“Hello?”</p>
<p>“<span>Horacio?” </span><span>Her voice was small and far more timid than she felt.</span></p>
<p>“...Eva? Is everything alright?”</p>
<p>She bit her lip, the urge to deflect too strong for her to come right out and say it, “Its just...you’re usually home by now.”</p>
<p>He sighed deeply, and she could see him leaning back in his chair, running a hand through his hair, “We had a meeting go long. I’m supposed to run out and do a site visit. I should be home in a few hours.”</p>
<p>
  <em>A few hours. </em>
  <span>Eva wasn’t going to make it a few hours. She wasn’t even sure she’d make it through the rest of this phone call. Her body, hearing Horacio’s voice, had kicked it up a notch, her thighs trembling with the want of wrapping around his body.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The sound that she made was pathetic and she hated it immediately. </span>
  <span>He, of course, heard it.</span>
</p>
<p>“Eva, what’s wrong?” His voice was firm, suspicious.</p>
<p>
  <span>S</span>
  <span>he inhaled, begging her body for calm. “I’m fine.”</span>
</p>
<p>He made a soft tsk of censure, “You’re not. Tell me what’s wrong.” When she hesitated, he rumbled, “Evangeline, you tell me what’s wrong.”</p>
<p>
  <span>A directive. No argument. </span>
  <span>She felt her spine straighten.</span>
</p>
<p>“Horacio,” she started, her voice cracking, “Its...here. Its here.”</p>
<p>“What’s here?”</p>
<p>
  <span>She could hear the concern that was in his voice rise up further into near panic. </span>
  <span>In the background, she could hear his keys jingling.</span>
</p>
<p>“<span>The heat,” she clarified through her teeth, her brows coming together as she tried very hard to concentrate on the situation at hand and not how eagerly her body was telling her that she was talking to her alpha and that he was everything to her. “</span><span>Its here.”</span></p>
<p>
  <span>T</span>
  <span>he line went silent for several long heartbeats </span>
  <span>and Eva feared that he’d hung up. </span>
  <span>Desperately, she listened for any sign that he was still there.</span>
</p>
<p>And then, “I’m on my way.”</p>
<p>
  <span>The line went dead, the dial tone buzzing loudly in her ear. </span>
  <span>Eva dropped the handset onto the couch cushion and breathed deeply. </span>
  <span>He was maybe twenty minutes away. She could do that—told herself that she could do that. Twenty minutes was easy. Two sets of ten. Four sets of five.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When she tried to stand, her knees buckled and she hit the ground. </span>
  <span>Defeated, she laid down right where she was, sandwiched between the coffee table and the couch. </span>
  <span>Eva decided that she was just going to lay here and wait. </span>
  <span>She’d done what he would want her to do—she told him, </span>
  <span>just like he’d asked</span>
  <span>. Now, she would just have to try to relax until he got home.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>T</span>
  <span>he door opened and closed firmly. Eva blinked her eyes open, her vision blurry. </span>
  <span>She heard his footsteps move further into the house, his jacket hit the floor, and his keys hit the dining room table. </span>
  <span>Two further thumps sounded, his boots kicked off—she had just about enough energy to be annoyed that he couldn’t be bothered to put them on the shoe rack that was </span>
  <em>right there.</em>
</p>
<p>“Eva?”</p>
<p>
  <span>S</span>
  <span>he couldn’t answer. Her throat was dry, the muscles around her vocal cords refusing to cooperate. Fingers flexing, Eva tried to gather her limbs underneath her. </span>
  <span>They moved like molasses and had about as much strength as a bowl of jello.</span>
</p>
<p>“Eva?” his voice was louder, more urgent.</p>
<p>
  <span>She made a sound, a pathetic little thing, choked out and exhausted. </span>
  <span>Fuck, how was she supposed to last through the heat when she couldn’t even get the thing started? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>H</span>
  <span>e heard her, his steps swinging around the couch until she could see his socked feet standing just outside the perimeter of the rug she was laying on. Her eyes traced upwards, following the line of his legs to his torso, shoulders, and face. </span>
  <span>He towered over her when she was standing. From the floor, he looked </span>
  <span>like a fucking giant. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>H</span>
  <span>is expression was concerned, but his hands were clenched into fists, sweat on his collar. She wondered how much of the drive home had been spent trying to control the rush of hormones that he’d no doubt been feeling. </span>
  <span>Thinking about what was waiting for him when he got home.</span>
  <span> She swallowed and reached for him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Horacio caught her by both hands, dragging her out from between the coffee table and couch to lay near the landing of the stairs. </span>
  <span>She let the leverage of the moment pull her to sitting, her legs splayed useless in front of her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>E</span>
  <span>va stared at him for a few seconds, “Hi…”</span>
</p>
<p>His mouth opened to respond, but no words came out. He just...looked at her, his entire posture stiff. Eva felt her stomach drop a little. This wasn’t how this was supposed to go. Why wasn’t he moving?</p>
<p>Eyes dropping, Eva ran her hand over the floor, trying to parse out the thoughts that were still foggy and stilted in her brain. Her hormones were raging hard enough that she couldn’t steady her breathing, everything inside her filling up with him in every way, except the way she most wanted.</p>
<p><span>He knelt, hand touching her chin. </span><span>The contact made her shiver, tingles billowing out from her jaw and down her neck.</span> <span>Eva reluctantly looked at him, feeling her breaths stutter.</span></p>
<p>“Are you alright?”</p>
<p>
  <span>Was she alright? </span>
  <span>Was she al</span>
  <em>right?</em>
  <span> Her latent anxiety morphed into righteous anger, her body bristling. </span>
  <span>He must have read her anger clearly across her face, because he leaned further into her space.</span>
</p>
<p>“I just need to know you’re alright—before...Once this starts, I won’t be able to stop—mmph,”</p>
<p>Eva cut him off with a hard kiss, rising up to her knees and knocking him onto his back. She followed him down, kissing him again before lifting her head and glaring at him.</p>
<p>“<span>Horacio,” she </span><span>grit out between clenched teeth</span><span>, “Shut </span><em>up</em><span>.”</span></p>
<p>Not waiting for an answer, Eva dropped down and licked up his neck, ending it with a firm kiss. Her thumbs pressed into the hollow above his jaw, urging him to open for her. Tongue dipping in for a taste, she groaned, settling her weight further on his body. He was hard beneath her, and her already frazzled hormones spun up into a chaotic mess. Skin prickling, she ground against him, swallowing down his moan.</p>
<p>Grasping her hips, he pulled her closer, using what little leverage he had to help her rock against him. Not needing any more encouragement, Eva let her hips go fluid in their movements, setting up a hard, quick rhythm. Fuck, but it felt good. All that time spent waiting for him, burning up inside, melted away with the delicious friction.</p>
<p>He breathed her name between kisses, hands grabbing at whatever they could reach. He said it again when she released his mouth to kiss down his neck to the collar of his polo. And again, when she pulled the fabric out of his khakis.</p>
<p>“<em>Evangeline,</em><span>” he nearly yelled, “We need to get upstairs. Now.”</span></p>
<p>
  <span>She stared down at him, her mouth curling into a smile. Then, with no preamble, she sat up, tore off her shirt, and threw it at him. Her body had just enough adrenaline to get her up and off him, scrambling up the stairs, hands shoved </span>
  <span>o</span>
  <span>nto each step for balance. </span>
  <span>They slapped at the polished wood, pushing her forward and up to the second floor.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eva felt herself giggle as she made it to the top stair, sliding a little as she rounded the corner. She could hear Horacio’s answering growl as his heavy steps boomed behind her. </span>
  <span>As quick as her feet would go, Eva hurdled towards the bedroom, clearing the door and making it almost to the bed when he slammed into her from behind. The momentum pushed her into the mattress, bent at the waist, </span>
  <span>the air punched out of her with the impact</span>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A </span>
  <span>flat palm between her shoulder blades held her in place as he pushed his fingers between her body and the mattress to get at the button of her shorts. Flicking it open, he pulled down the zipper and shoved both her shorts and underwear down and off her legs. After kicking the bundle </span>
  <span>away</span>
  <span>, he unsnapped her bra pulled it from her, throwing it off the side of the bed. </span>
</p>
<p>Eva tried to get her arms underneath her so that she could turn over. She even got a quarter turn of her torso before he leaned more weight on his hand, pushing her into the mattress again. Groaning, her face buried in the comforter, Eva kicked out in frustration. She wanted to touch him, wanted to rub every inch of her skin on him, anything to ease the fever that was growing steadily hotter.</p>
<p><span>He dropped down on her, his bare </span><span>chest</span><span> searing against her back. Eva realized that he must have removed his shirt somewhere between the stairs and their bedroom. </span><span>His body was like a furnace, scal</span><span>d</span><span>ing her already sensitized skin.</span> <span>He ran the flat of his tongue over her shoulder, teeth scraping. His arms encircled her waist, holding her to him as much as he was holding her down. </span><span>She wiggled against him in a vain attempt to gain any kind of </span><span>sensation to urge her along towards the orgasm she </span><em>knew</em><span> would be a-fucking-mazing</span><span>. </span><span>It didn’t matter that he was doing exactly what she wanted, he wasn’t doing it fast enough. She needed hard and fast and </span><em>now.</em></p>
<p>
  <span>Nose in the crook of her neck, Horacio breathed deep, his body rigid all around her. Eva bit her lip, a cry building in the back of her throat. She needed </span>
  <em>something </em>
  <span>to happen, and quickly. Her nails dug into her palms, muscles tense all over. </span>
  <span>An attempt to get her feet firmly planted on the ground was met with a quick slap to her outer thigh, his teeth setting against her skin in warning.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A clink sounded, followed by the rasp of leather as is slid through belt loops. </span>
  <span>She heard fabric tear as he worked to get his pants off. </span>
</p>
<p>“<span>Eva, tell me you’re ready,” he gasped, head bowed over the curve of her spine. </span><span>One hand gripped her hip, the other reaching down to line himself up, “</span><em>Tell me.</em><span>”</span></p>
<p>
  <span>T</span>
  <span>he cry </span>
  <span>she’d been working to hold back</span>
  <span> broke free, a low keening thing that had her clenching her eyes shut, “Yes, please, alpha.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With a rough, almost angry sound, he pushed home, sinking deep. Though she was more than wet, </span>
  <em>sopping</em>
  <span>, the burn was still there as he bottomed out. </span>
  <span>It pulsed through her deliciously, putting pressure everywhere that she so desperately needed it. </span>
  <span>With his hands on her hips, she had the leverage to </span>
  <span>finally</span>
  <span> push back onto her feet a little so that she was balanced on her toes. </span>
  <span>It was a precarious </span>
  <span>balance,</span>
  <span> and put way too much strain on her thighs, but Eva couldn’t find it in herself to care.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>T</span>
  <span>hough the position gave her </span>
  <span>little in the way of controlling a movement in cou</span>
  <span>nterpoint to him, it didn’t really seem to matter. </span>
  <span>His every push inwards was hard and deep enough that her body clenched down on him out of reflex, cresting over the orgasm so easily that it caught her off guard. </span>
  <span>She groaned, her cunt squeezing him in a vice.</span>
</p>
<p>“<span>I feel you,” he bit out, his pace never faltering, “Fuck, I feel you.”</span></p>
<p>
  <span>Then, with deliberate slowness, he pulled his hips back, arms looping around her waist and hoisting her up and further onto the bed. </span>
  <span>Eva whined, a pathetic, needy thing that would have been embarrassing if she didn’t need him back inside her </span>
  <em>right fucking now</em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rough hands pushed her higher on </span>
  <span>the mattress</span>
  <span>, spreading her </span>
  <span>knees a little to make room. And then he was sliding home again, fucking into her brutally. </span>
  <span>Chin tilting back, Eva felt her arms give out. Her hands slid upwards and underneath the pillows, nails digging into the sheets. </span>
  <span>The change in angle let him </span>
  <span>farther inside</span>
  <span>, and she barely heard his pleased growl over the near constant sounds stuttering out of her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She could feel it, hitting at her opening with every thrust, a hot, swollen ridge of flesh that had her gasping. As with the first time they spent the night together, Eva had a brief thought that maybe she should reevaluate. It was...big. Horacio was already so thick that it took a little patience to get started </span>
  <span>any other time they had sex</span>
  <span>. His knot made her want to scramble away just as much as she wanted to see if she could take it. </span>
  <span>Every thrust put a little more pressure on her, opening her just a little bit further, </span>
  <span>prodding at her enticingly</span>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A harsh sound escaped his mouth and he leaned down to grab her shoulders, hauling her up and off the mattress to sit back on him. Eva cried out, struggling a little in his hold as she tried to accommodate the deeper angle. </span>
  <span>He snarled, arms locking around her, holding her still. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>E</span>
  <span>va felt the omega in her rise up a bit, a visceral need to make him earn the right to knot her. She might have claimed him as her own all those months ago, but this was their first </span>
  <em>heat. </em>
  <span>It wouldn’t be right if she just laid down and gave it to him. </span>
  <span>She needed him to take it just as much as he needed to be the one doing the taking.</span>
</p>
<p>Planting her knees, she grabbed at his forearms, arching her hips up to shallow out the depth of his penetration, keeping him from grinding his knot against her. His hands tightened, biceps bulging as he adjusted his grip. Although Eva could see his face, she knew his eyes were narrowing in confusion. She heard him snarl at her, felt the way he rocked back onto his heels a bit, hips tilting to get underneath her a bit more.</p>
<p>
  <span>When he moved to push upwards, Eva countered him as best she could, given that she had little to no leverage. </span>
  <span>The snarl dropped into his chest, coming out as a warning growl. Eva laughed a little bit, unable to keep her amusement to herself. </span>
  <span>She wasn’t intimidated by a little growling.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>T</span>
  <span>hat was, apparently, not the best thing to do. One of his hands released her torso, threading through her hair and yanking her head to the side. She felt his teeth lay against her skin even as he used his free arm to cross her chest and grip her shoulder. His thrusts, already hard, picked up in pace and intensity. Short, stunted, as if he couldn’t bare to be outside of her more than absolutely necessary. </span>
  <span>He barreled into her in a way that made all her muscles give out with the sheer pleasure shooting through her.</span>
</p>
<p>His cock speared inside her, hitting her g spot and gliding smoothly through the slick dripping down between their bodies. Sweat pooled on her stomach, in the crease of her burning thighs, on her temple. His breaths punched out of him and onto her skin, each one like a physical blow against her neck, collarbone, and shoulder.</p>
<p>
  <span>He pulled her down by her shoulder as </span>
  <span>his movements </span>
  <span>became more determined. Horacio cursed desperately, and she could feel his eyes squeeze shut as he pressed his face into her cheek. </span>
</p>
<p>“Omega,” he grunted, “Eva, I can’t...I need…”</p>
<p>
  <span>She knew exactly what he needed, could feel it spreading her open from below, knew that it wouldn’t be much longer before he was pushing it inside her, locking them together. </span>
  <span>Eva didn’t have to wait long. His fingers dug into her skin as he gave one final thrust upwards, hips flexed so far that her body bowed forward in one elegant arch, her head flung back over his shoulder. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>H</span>
  <span>e stretched her open. She could feel that he had stopped breathing. His heart pounded against her back. There, there, </span>
  <em>there.</em>
  <span> Eva’s body relaxed, allowing his knot to breach her, filling her to capacity. That was it. She couldn’t get any fuller. </span>
  <span>Not even his come would leak out of her until he softened a little, their bodies sealed together perfectly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>H</span>
  <span>oracio groaned against her neck, lips pulling back from his teeth as he sank them into the skin covering her scent gland. The pain of the bite pushed her over the edge again, her voice sounding against the walls, coming back to her as a harsh shriek.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Locked together as they were, Eva could only circled her hips, grinding down on him as she came. She could feel his answering pulses, knew that she would </span>
  <span>trickle out</span>
  <span> all over the sheets when they were finally able to separate. He held her there, breathing hard, until they’d calmed just a bit. Then, with careful movements that sent aftershocks through them both, he eased them down on to the bed. </span>
</p>
<p>Laying on her side, Horacio behind her, Eva felt herself drift a little. He was stroking her body, nose pressed against her spine, the motion calming. After a while, his knot contracted a little, allowing him to pull out. She was right. A mixture of their come dripped out of her, coating her thighs. Eva didn’t have the ability to feel embarrassed about it. They’d wash the sheets later.</p>
<p>Rolling her to her back, Horacio leaned over and kissed her deeply. She felt every ounce of the love that he felt for her in that kiss, knew that their bond would deepen as the days went on, sealing them together as a pair.</p>
<p>
  <span>Reluctantly, he pulled away. She watched him assess her, could see the effort it was taking for him to bank back his building arousal. </span>
  <span>His cock was already beginning to harden against her hip.</span>
  <span> Her body rose up in answer. </span>
  <span>With shaking limbs, she pushed up and over, clumsily sitting astride his hips. </span>
  <span>He tried to sit up, but she shoved him back down with a strength that she shouldn’t have had. </span>
</p>
<p>Leaning down, she kissed him lightly, “My turn.”</p>
<p>
  <span>Her body moved without real conscious thought, slotting him inside her, reveling in how hard he was, how well he filled her. She hissed on the first downward thrust, </span>
  <span>her eyes squinting </span>
  <span>as he dragged against every exposed nerve. Biting her lip, Eva breathed deeply through her nose, the scent of him filling her lungs. </span>
  <span>It spurred her on, pleasure flushing every system until she had no choice but to move.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>B</span>
  <span>racing her hands on his chest, sh</span>
  <span>e gave him no warning before she began to ride him hard. The motion had no finesse—she wasn’t trying to tease, she didn’t have the capability. Eva could feel the need to come squirm inside her, pushing her to fuck him harder, faster, deeper. </span>
  <span>Adrenaline and oxytocin flooded her already brimming body, shaking down her spine. </span>
</p>
<p>He reached out and grabbed her ass, giving her an assist. Already, his knot was swelling up, Eva could see it protruding from where they were joined, the skin flushed and pulsing. She bounced on it, earning a helpless little moan from the man beneath her. His hands slid up and curled around her hips, his arms straining to pull her down on him harder. Eva felt him shift his feet on the sheets, knew he was working to gain enough traction to work more of himself inside.</p>
<p>Hands splayed on his chest, Eva forced herself to stop, just for a moment. Though her body screamed out in resistance, she wanted to draw out the feeling just a little. His brows drew together, and she could tell that she only had a second or two before he was going to flip her over and take control. Eva looked him in the eye, smiled, and let all of her body weight fall on him. The effect was exactly what she wanted. She sank down onto his knot while he watched, powerless.</p>
<p>
  <span>The feeling of it, knowing that </span>
  <span>she was the one who’d done it, that she had brought on the pleasure that skyrocketed through her, was infinitely gratifying. Still further, from her vantage point above him, Eva got the watch him utterly fall apart. </span>
  <span>It was...beautiful. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His head was thrown back, exposing the long line of his throat. His jaw was clenched, face screwed up as he rode out the orgasm. Every muscle in his torso was drawn tight, cutting </span>
  <span>vivid</span>
  <span> lines that emphasized the strength she knew was there. </span>
  <span>From his lips came a cry of ecstasy that mirrored her own.</span>
</p>
<p>Beautiful.</p>
<p>
  <span>When he was able, he helped her to roll to her side, hooking her leg over his hip, their chests pressed together. She was sweating, shaking, barely able to form coherent thoughts. He kissed her forehead, her cheeks, massaged at the muscles he could reach. </span>
  <span>Eva snuggled into him, the swivel of her hips sparking another, smaller pulse to go through her. He groaned when she clenched on him, his cock undulating in response.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A</span>
  <span>n indeterminate time later, he sat up and padded over to the basket she had put together. He made her drink as much as she was able and eat a few crackers, leaving a snacks and an extra bottle of water on the nightstand for later. </span>
  <span>Even a heat couldn’t keep him from being practical.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She slept for a bit, waking groggily to Horacio sucking on her clit hard enough that she came all over his fingers, her legs spasming over his shoulders. </span>
  <span>When he pushed inside again, he grabbed both of her thighs and </span>
  <span>eased</span>
  <span> them up and into her chest, giving him the most room to move. </span>
  <span>Punishing thrusts, an unrelenting pace. He shoved his knot in</span>
  <span>to her hard</span>
  <span>, forcing a scream from her throat. </span>
  <span>Eva shook through the orgasm, her hands holding onto his forearms for purchase.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>N</span>
  <span>early unconscious by the time he pulled out again, Eva let him arrange her limp body against him. She was draped over his chest, staring aimlessly through the still open window, listening to the waves. For the moment, everything was still. The air in the room was filled with their combined scents, </span>
  <span>the bond twisting them together</span>
  <span>. </span>
  <span>As she drifted once more into sleep, Eva </span>
  <span>pressed her nose into his skin, inhaling happily. Tobacco. Vetiver. Home. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
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